Latest news with #HolyFamilyElementarySchool
CBC
11-08-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Crown prosecutor stays criminal charges against Whitehorse parent
Social Sharing Criminal charges filed against a Whitehorse parent have been stayed. Kenechukwu Onwudinjo was facing two charges of mischief and two charges of harassment in connection with an incident at Holy Family Elementary School in May 2024, which triggered a hold-and-secure and a police investigation. Onwudinjo was a candidate in the school council election at the time of the incident. Onwudinjo, who was self-represented in court, pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year. In an emailed statement to CBC, Onwudinjo said she experienced racial discrimination and bullying within the education system. She said she had a series of disagreements with school administrators that year, partially related to Onwudinjo speaking against rainbow flags being displayed at the Catholic elementary school. She said she filed a complaint to the Yukon Human Rights Commission on May 28. On June 26, the Crown offered to resolve the matter with a common law peace bond, which Onwudinjo rejected. After meeting with "the various stakeholders," it was decided that it was not in the public interest to continue the prosecution, according to Crown prosecutor Ben Brillantes. Brillantes said there are guidelines that inform the decision to pursue charges, including the use of public resources. The Crown could also consider whether the accused may have been subject to systemic discrimination or may have mental health challenges, Brillantes said. "This is not to say that any of these elements were present here, but these are examples of factors for consideration," Brillantes said in an emailed statement. Stayed charges are not permanently dismissed. They remain on the accused person's public record and they can be reinstated by the Crown.
CBC
11-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Yukon NDP leader calls to scrap public funding for Catholic schools
Yukon NDP Leader Kate White called for the defunding of Catholic education in the territory at the Yukon legislature on Monday, citing a "constant battle" over respecting human rights in schools. Speaking to reporters after Question Period, White said she was prepared for pushback from Catholics. But she said her position on axing public funding for religious schools is based on fairness, and that no other faith should receive taxpayer support either. "They can have a private school and they can do whatever they want in their private school," White said. "But if they're taking public funds from all of us here as taxpayers, then they have an obligation and responsibility to live up to the policies and the statements from the Department of Education and they aren't." Catholic schools in the Yukon are public schools. While they have the right to provide religious teachings and lessons on Catholic values, a 1962 agreement between the territory's commissioner and the Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Whitehorse states the schools must follow the Yukon government's laws and policies. The NDP raised several instances in the legislature where the Department of Education's sexual orientation and gender identity policy (SOGI) was reportedly violated. Those included a teacher publicly speaking about homophobia she faced at a Holy Family Elementary School council meeting, a St. Francis of Assisi school councillor who opted not to run for re-election and a homophobic textbook that was used at St. Francis of Assisi. Last month, the principal of Holy Family Elementary School stepped down from her position, alleging the local bishop was interfering with school operations, particularly relating to inclusivity and SOGI policies. Education Minister Jeanie McLean responded to White's comments by saying her job is to implement the Education Act and the department's policies, reforming inclusive and special education, among other objectives. She noted the NDP did not include defunding Catholic education in its last election platform, nor either version of the confidence-and-supply agreement the party signed with the governing Liberals. McLean challenged the party to run on the idea. "If this is something they feel strongly about, then they should put it into their election platform so that we can have a territory-wide discussion about this issue," McLean said. "I think that's very important, in terms of our consultation on any major changes to education, that we need to have a full wholesome discussion about that. And maybe that's something that they would want to do as well, I hope. I don't really believe in governing on the fly and I don't think that's how the work of our government should be done at any time." White said violations of the government's SOGI policy keep happening because the Department of Education has not "stood up" to the Catholic Church. She said the department needs to enforce boundaries related to the operation of schools. "The church is not supposed to be involved in the day-to-day running of schools. They're not allowed to harass the educators. They're not allowed to harass families there," she said. McLean defended the work of public servants within the education system and rejected any notion that workers are out to "harm children." However, McLean did acknowledge "governance challenges" with Catholic schools, namely making sure the diocese understands that it's the Department of Education that sets policies that must be followed.
CBC
05-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Emotional, tense Whitehorse Catholic school council meeting held in wake of principal stepping down
Parents and teachers at a Whitehorse Catholic school council meeting Monday called for the territory's education department to take action following the departure of the principal who alleged years of bullying and interference by the local bishop. More than 50 people packed into the Holy Family Elementary School library for the at-times emotional and tense gathering, which was part of the council's regular meeting schedule but the first since Maria Gray announced last week that she was stepping down as principal. Gray, in a letter to the school council last week, cited the behaviour of Bishop Hector Vila for her decision. She accused Vila of interfering in school operations and curriculum, particularly around health and the sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) policy, and also alleged bullying, harassment, and discriminatory comments. She added that repeated requests to the department for safety plans, role clarification and reconciliation went unaddressed. Neither the department nor the Whitehorse diocese have granted CBC News's requests for comment. While agenda items on Monday's school council meeting also included an upcoming spelling bee and a school bus report, discussions about Gray's departure dominated the evening. Teachers and parents who signed up to speak about the situation all expressed their love for the school, with several also voicing support for Gray and calling on the education department to address the issues she raised. "It's deeply distressing to think that the department allowed the relationship between the diocese and the school administration to degrade to a level that our principal doesn't feel safe in her position," parent Jonathan Kolot told council. "Where was the superintendent or the [assistant deputy minister] of schools? At what point do they plan to intervene between a school and a diocese that had clearly overstepped its jurisdiction? "We want Maria back," he added, to a round of cheers and applause. Meanwhile, teacher Roslyn Hougen said the community needed to stop "spinning in circles" and instead use its energy on "teaching our children, planning the next field trip, inviting the next elder to speak." "I ask that as steps are made to hire a new principal, that this person can have a similar vision, just as Maria did, that sees both public curriculum and Catholic teachings as important knowledge for our students," she said. Another teacher called for education department leaders to meet with school staff to talk about their "real concerns about what happens next." Department superintendent Trevor Ratcliff attended the meeting but did not speak. School council co-chair Robyn Burns told attendees that she and fellow co-chair Jody Eikelboom would be meeting with deputy minister Mary Cameron this week. Tensions on council Tensions flared when the meeting moved on to the next agenda item — an email from a parent concerned that a book about Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ activist Jim Egan was available at the school library. Burns said she would not read the email out loud as it would violate the SOGI policy. Fellow council member Shirah Davis, countered that the policy doesn't apply to parents. Burns responded that it applied to school council meetings. Davis and another council member, Sara Poirier, also later spoke in favour of Catholic leaders having authority within Catholic schools. "I don't think you can be outraged to hear Catholic teachings in a Catholic school and then deem those hateful and homophobic," Davis said. "I don't agree with that at all, and also staff, when they are employed in a Catholic school, sign a contract to uphold the Catholic worldview… When you talk about safe spaces and inclusivity, [I] hope you are also making a safe and inclusive space for religious beliefs." "Then the bishop should do that too," an attendee responded. "Is discrimination and hate a part of Catholicism?" another asked. One attendee, near the end of the meeting, called for unity. "We need to get back to the way it was — the working together, the love, the ability to see, to keep the interests of our children at our heart," she said. Rally held outside The council meeting was preceded by a rally outside Holy Family school, with a number of people holding rainbow flags or carrying signs supporting Gray. Among the dozens of attendees at the rally was Ben Craigen, a teacher at another Catholic school whose daughter attends Holy Family. Craigen said he was there to support a "fair and inclusive and equitable public education system that is the same for all of our schools," and to petition the education department to support Catholic school administrators. He also said he wanted to show solidarity for Gray, who has made an "incredible impact" on his daughter's life. "She begs to come to school every morning," he said. Yukon NDP MLA Lane Tredger, who grew up in Whitehorse and attended Holy Family, also took part in the rally, explaining that they didn't want any children to feel like they didn't belong. "When I was a teenager and kind of realizing that I was queer, I thought I was going to have to leave the Yukon," Tredger said. "And I'm so glad that our kids and our youth today have so many models in the Yukon, but they shouldn't just have to look for them outside their schools… No matter where they go, they need to be safe and protected."
CBC
03-03-2025
- CBC
Principal of Whitehorse Catholic school steps down alleging bullying, interference by local bishop
Social Sharing The principal of a Whitehorse Catholic school has stepped down from her position, alleging that the local bishop — whom she describes as "dangerous" — frequently oversteps his authority while the education department does little to address his behaviour. Maria Gray informed Holy Family Elementary School families of her decision in a goodbye email last week. Gray, who joined Holy Family in 2021, declined an interview request. However, CBC News obtained a letter she sent to the school council Tuesday in which she accused Bishop Hector Vila of school interference, making discriminatory and hateful comments about First Nations and 2SLGBTQ+ people and harassing and bullying staff. "This has taken a severe toll on my well-being, despite efforts to seek support and resolution," Gray wrote. "I have been constantly 'between a rock and a hard place' and the gaslighting, lack of support, and crisis of my own conscience have come to a breaking point." Gray has requested to be moved to a position outside of the Yukon Catholic schools. Yolande Cherepak, the executive assistant at the bishop's office in Whitehorse, said in an email Friday that the office is "aware of the situation and is actively assessing the details." "Our top priority is to support our Catholic school communities in this time of transition…. At this time, we are unable to provide further specifics," Cherepak wrote. Cherepak directed further inquiries to the diocese's manager of chancery operations, who had not responded as of Sunday evening. The Yukon's Department of Education also had not provided an interview or comment by then. Holy Family teachers Tamara Boiteau and Julie Todd, meanwhile, said in an interview that staff were feeling "pretty devastated." They described Gray as a well-liked, highly-qualified Catholic educator and administrator who protected teachers and knew how to help students at all levels succeed. "We shouldn't be losing her," Boiteau said. "We should not have our principal feeling like she has to step away from Catholic schools because of lack of support from the department, lack of clear understanding of roles and responsibilities with Bishop Hector [Vila]." Boiteau, who's queer, added that Gray was a "huge advocate" for the education department's sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) policy, and strongly defended the school's display of the 2SLGBTQ+ flag. "I'm pretty fearful of that if whoever's going to come in and take over is going to still feel that same way and be as passionate as she was," Boiteau said. The Holy Family school council declined an interview request. Letter alleges bullying, 'nefarious interference" in curriculum Gray, in her letter, accused Vila of creating "tension" between Catholic schools and the diocese since his arrival in 2016, including by making inappropriate and discriminatory comments about First Nations culture and history while dismissing truth and reconciliation efforts, bullying and harassing staff at a professional development event and moving meetings with school principals to his property. She also alleged interference in school operations relating to inclusivity and SOGI policies, about which she claimed the bishop has been "outright harassing and discriminatory." She said he's also carried out "nefarious interference" in the curriculum, particularly around health. Gray appeared to be referencing a letter Vila sent to Catholic school families in January highlighting part of the Yukon's "Better to Know" program, which includes topics like sexual activity, birth control and 2SLGBTQ+ identity. He wrote that it was "not approved by the Catholic Church" and encouraged parents to sign non-existent lesson opt-out forms. Gray sent a follow-up email to families to address "inaccuracies," noting that the Kindergarten to Grade 3 health curriculum focuses on the proper names for body parts and "safe touch" while students in Grade 4 to 7 primarily learn about puberty and the science of reproduction — for example, the roles of a sperm and egg. In her school council letter, Gray wrote that her repeated requests for the education department to clarify Vila's role within Yukon Catholic schools, set boundaries, undertake reconciliation efforts and create safety plans have gone unaddressed. There was an "urgent need," Gray continued, "for policy revisions regarding the relationship between the Department of Education and the episcopal corporation," as well as for the creation of policies to better protect Catholic schools and staff. She also called for a re-examination of the existing agreement under which Yukon Catholic schools were founded, and for roles and responsibilities within the system to be properly defined. "After 15 years in Yukon Catholic schools, I see that it is simply not possible for a Yukon Catholic school leader to successfully follow both the public school mandates and the ideas of a dangerous bishop who has an unclear umbrella-of-influence lacking checks and balances re: his authority and behaviour with school staff," Gray wrote. "I can't help but wonder if publicly funded religious schools are still viable amidst oppositional — hostile, even — stakeholders with seemingly incompatible values." In her separate goodbye email to families, Gray wrote that she was filled with "both overwhelming gratitude and deep sadness," and urged them to continue to support Holy Family's school staff and council. She also added that her child would continue to attend Holy Family.
