Vancouver –
The superintendent of the college district that features Kitimat, B.C., has apologized to a scholar at Mount Elizabeth Center Secondary after the boy’s trainer ridiculed him for carrying his conventional Haisla Nation regalia and cedar hat to class.
Alex Grant mentioned his stepson Gregory selected to put on the regalia for picture day on Monday.
“The trainer when he received to the classroom had mocked him, and requested him, ‘What’s up with the costume in the present day?’ in entrance of the whole class,” mentioned Grant.
College district 82 superintendent Janet Meyer mentioned she has apologized to Gregory, his mother and father and the Haisla Nation.
“A scholar at one in every of our colleges in Coast Mountain College District had an expertise on Monday that was very a lot not in step with the beliefs of the college district,” mentioned Meyer. “It’s an expertise we don’t assume any scholar in B.C. or Canada or wherever on the earth ought to expertise.”
The district received’t title the trainer or reveal if he may face any disciplinary motion.
“There’s an inside human sources course of that we’re following, and that’s all I’m at liberty to say,” mentioned Meyer.
The superintendent sat down with Gregory, his mother and father and the college’s principal on Tuesday.
“There’s an investigation occurring now that’s all they’ll say to us about that. The matter is of their arms and it’s being taken care of,” mentioned Grant, who added an apology shouldn’t be sufficient.
Meyer mentioned the district is aware of it has work to do to regain the belief of First Nations college students in Kitimat.
“We’ll work very intently with the Haisla Nation round this explicit incident to place some buildings in locations that can assist us be higher,” mentioned Meyer. “The entire adults in that college are able to pay attention.”
There’s one message Grant desires them to listen to loud and clear concerning the Haisla Nation’s conventional gown.
“It’s not a dressing up,” he mentioned. “We take our regalia and our traditions very significantly.”
