WRDSB apologizes for harms caused by School Resource Officer program
The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is apologizing for the harms caused by the School Resource Officer (RSO) program.
Last month, the board voted to axe the RSO program, which had been put on pause for a year while it was reviewed by a special committee.
On Tuesday, the WRDSB issued a formal apology to students and families harmed by the program.
"Members of the committee heard that both the presence of police and how and when they are used in schools can create a sense of fear, increased anxiety and vulnerability for some, and especially Black, Indigenous, and racialized students. The fact that any student felt this way is not acceptable," reads a statement issued by the WRDSB. "We apologize, unreservedly, to the students and communities who have been harmed."
The school board says it will continue to work with Waterloo regional police to create policies and procedures that clarify and limit the role of police in schools.
Officials say the board remains focused on addressing systemic barriers and building an equitable community culture for students and staff.
"We just felt that an apology allowed us to start from a place of healing and to repair some of the relationships with some of the students and their families that were harmed by this program," WRDSB chairperson Joanne Weston said Tuesday. "It's just a first step."
She said an apology was part of the review committee's recommendations.
Other programs are also under review, including the board's suspension and expulsion program. Weston said restorative justice practices are being explored.
"We are looking at everything through an anti-oppressive and equitable lens," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Woman, 18, killed by co-worker's vehicle on Highway 1 in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw police say an 18-year-old woman who was at work has died from injuries she sustained in a collision with a vehicle being driven by her co-worker last Thursday.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
MPs to vote on NDP motion calling on Canada to recognize Palestinian statehood
Members of Parliament will vote Monday on a motion from the federal New Democrats, calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine,' among a range of other calls to action in regards to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.