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CBC
24-05-2025
- General
- CBC
All aboard: Bike bus pilot to expand to more Charlottetown schools this fall
Charlottetown's "bike bus" pilot project is switching into a higher gear, a city official says. West Kent Elementary School and Lucy Maud Montgomery Public School have been participating in Charlottetown's supervised group bike ride program for the last three weeks, now that the weather is heating up. "Bike buses have been going on around the world for about 10 years and we thought it's time to bring them to Charlottetown," said Anna Keenan, the city's sustainable transportation officer. "It's just a way for kids to get to school riding bikes like they want to, but rather than being alone, they're in a group that's safe and that is accompanied by adult volunteers." While the first week was a little chaotic, Keenan said the processions got into a steadier routine by the second and third weeks this spring. "We've learned what we need to learn to make the program available to more schools in the fall," she said. The city eventually plans to expand the bike bus pilot project to include all schools in Charlottetown, Keenan said. But that will require more volunteers. 'Very empowering' The pilot project has been delivering benefits already, Keenan said. "I think it's very empowering for all of the kids to be participating," she said, noting that lots of children want to bike to school, but some parents don't feel comfortable letting them do so alone given the traffic. "Anybody who starts their day with a bike ride is going to be in a good mood that day, whether you're a kid or you're an adult," Keenan said. Students taking part in the bike bus are following a safe route to their schools, since the groups travel on pre-determined routes that are carefully planned by the city. The fleet travels on quiet streets and crosses major roads only once, at a spot with a crossing guard, Keenan said. There were no difficulties finding parent volunteers to participate, she said, adding that there are lots of keen cyclists in Charlottetown who are eager to join and ride with their kids. One parent drives the bus — so to speak — at the front of the line of cyclists, while another sweeps behind to ensure the group sticks together, Keenan said. Student experience The children participating in the bike bus program are in grades 1 through 6, Keenan said. Some of the older students are already strong cyclists, while younger students may be just learning. It was really fun biking in a big group. — Gemma Burnside Campbell, 6-year-old bike bus participant "I've visited the schools in the last couple of weeks and you can really see a growth in the kids who've just started cycling," Keenan said. "The skills that they've developed in just a couple of weeks [are] phenomenal." Gemma Burnside Campbell rides her bike with training wheels, but she said she hopes to get them taken off soon. "It was really fun biking in a big group," the six-year-old said. "It's kind of fun for the crowd to get bigger and bigger, but I don't really like stopping because I like to go fast." Going forward, there could potentially be two different bike buses at each school, Keenan said, possibly separating out grades 1 through 3 for one bus and grades 4 through 6 for another. "We're aiming for a slow and safe ride where people are together, and that has to be the goal for now," she said.
CBC
12-05-2025
- CBC
Police say a West Kent parent believed a 2023 school touching incident had been reported to them. It hadn't.
Social Sharing WARNING: This story contains disturbing descriptions of child sex abuse. Resources and supports for anyone who has experienced sexual violence can be found at the bottom of this story. Investigators with Charlottetown Police Services say they didn't learn about an alleged 2023 touching incident involving Matthew Craswell at West Kent Elementary School until one of the girls' parents brought it to them 14 months later. Det.-Sgt. Darren MacDougall told CBC News in an email that a parent came to Charlottetown police in August 2024 "inquiring about the status of an investigation involving her daughter of inappropriate touching by a teacher at her school." MacDougall's email continued: "The parent reported the incident to the school in June 2023 and assumed the school engaged police. However, police were not informed of the incident." Last month, Craswell pleaded guilty to sexually touching a student at Glen Stewart Primary School in Stratford in April 2024 while he was a substitute teacher, as well as three unrelated child pornography offences. Through court proceedings and the aftermath of details being made public, more has been revealed about another alleged incident at West Kent Elementary School in June 2023. Craswell was not charged in relation to those allegations, so the issue has not been tested in court, unlike the Glen Stewart incident involving Craswell. However, court documents show the P.E.I. substitute teacher had "boasted of his misconduct with other children" throughout thousands of pages of online chats accessed by RCMP after Craswell's devices were seized. "During one conversation, [Craswell] alludes to sexually touching three other girls while teaching them," said the court documents, presented at the time of his guilty pleas. No interviews, no charges Little is known about the 2023 events or specific allegations, or what would have led the West Kent parent to believe the school would have involved police. But documents have shown the P.E.I. substitute teacher "boasted of his misconduct with other children" throughout thousands of pages of online chats accessed by RCMP after seizing Craswell's devices. "During one conversation, [Craswell] alludes to sexually touching three other girls while teaching them," said the court documents presented at the time of his guilty pleas. Substitute teacher's sexual touching in classroom 'should not have happened,' P.E.I. Premier says 12 days ago Duration 3:32 The premier of Prince Edward Island is apologizing after a former substitute teacher pleaded guilty to sexually touching a young student. Rob Lantz committed to reviewing the Public Schools Branch's reporting procedures for situations like these. CBC's Nicola MacLeod explains. Last fall, Charlottetown Police circled back with the three girls' parents after learning more about that 2023 incident from Craswell's online activity. The parents all ultimately decided not to allow their children to participate in police interviews. "The willingness of the victim(s) to provide a statement and engage the criminal justice system is required to proceed with an investigation and/or charges," MacDougall wrote. Teaching licence has been revoked CBC News reached out to the Public Schools Branch for comment on Monday, but did not receive a response by deadline. However, the P.E.I. Department of Education and Early Years sent a statement on Monday that suggested Craswell is unlikely to ever teach again. "The individual's teaching licence has been revoked. All Canadian registrars and Island schools, including CSLF [the French-language school board on P.E.I.], PSB, private schools and John J. Sark Memorial School [on Lennox Island First Nation] will be notified once the decision has been finalized," it said. "Given the nature of this individual's offences, he would not be successful in an appeal of their licence, pass future vulnerable sector checks and will not be eligible to hold a teaching licence in the future." If your children ask about P.E.I. case involving a substitute teacher, this psychologist has advice 11 days ago Duration 6:41 Disturbing details have been emerging from a recent court case involving a substitute teacher who pleaded guilty this week to sexual touching at a P.E.I. primary school. To help us navigate how to handle conversations about this, especially with young children, CBC News: Compass spoke with a psychologist, Dr. Jacqueline Roche. Finding of 'no malicious intent' on Craswell's part The Public Schools Branch has said both the 2023 and 2024 incidents involving Craswell were reported to the respective schools and investigated internally. The PSB has not confirmed the 2023 incident was at West Kent, but the Education Minister revealed that detail in the legislature on Friday. In both cases, the PSB has said Craswell touched the female students on the girls' stomachs or arms during classroom games. Public Schools Branch Director Tracy Beaulieu tells the CBC's Nicola MacLeod what steps were taken when Matthew Craswell's inappropriate touching of students was brought forward, and why officials did not feel the need to contact police. Police and Child Protection Services were not notified at the time of either allegation. The branch said this is because there was no evidence at that time to suggest Craswell had malicious or criminal intent. In an interview last week, CBC News asked director Tracy Beaulieu who had determined that police and child protection officials did not need to be involved. "Those decisions would have been made based on the statement of facts at the time about whether there was an intent and harm directed at students," she replied. "From what I have been informed, there was no intent — or malicious intent — behind it and that's why there would not have been a call. "Given the information that we have now, had they had that information at that time, I can assure you that there would have been different decisions made." The internal investigators who assessed the 2024 Glen Stewart incident also did not know about the 2023 incident at West Kent. The PSB said that's because there wasn't a centralized tracking system to register staff complaints. One has since been implemented. There are resources and supports available to anyone who has experienced sexual violence:
CBC
09-05-2025
- CBC
2023 touching incident involving Craswell was at West Kent School, education minister says
No charges filed in connection with complaint and facts of matter not proven in court Image | Swing at West Kent on P.E.I. Caption: West Kent Elementary School, shown in a 2021 file photo, was the scene of allegations involving Matthew Craswell in June 2023, P.E.I.'s education minister told the legislature Friday. (Jane Robertson/CBC) P.E.I.'s education minister has confirmed a 2023 school touching incident involving Matthew Craswell, which was internally investigated and deemed not to be sexual, occurred at West Kent Elementary School in Charlottetown. Minister of Education and Early Years Robin Croucher revealed that detail in the legislature on Friday. CBC News had previously established that the 2023 incident happened at a Charlottetown-area school, based on information from sources. The Public Schools Branch would not confirm whether was West Kent, citing privacy concerns. On Thursday, Croucher was asked in the legislature to specify which Charlottetown school was involved in the situation. He said he would bring back an answer when he was sure he could legally do so. "The second school that Matthew Craswell taught at was West Kent Elementary," he told the house on Friday. On April 29, Craswell pleaded guilty to sexually touching a student at Glen Stewart Primary School in Stratford, just east of Charlottetown, in April 2024. He also pleaded guilty to three unrelated child pornography charges. It was during that court proceeding that a previous incident of touching involving a school, for which Craswell was never charged, was revealed publicly for the first time. Media Video | Substitute teacher's sexual touching in classroom 'should not have happened,' P.E.I. Premier says Caption: The premier of Prince Edward Island is apologizing after a former substitute teacher pleaded guilty to sexually touching a young student. Rob Lantz committed to reviewing the Public Schools Branch's reporting procedures for situations like these. CBC's Nicola MacLeod explains. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. "The Public Schools Branch will be as transparent as we can be to the broader public, but we are also constrained by legal and privacy obligations," the organization said in a statement to CBC News Friday afternoon. The PSB had previously said the incidents at both schools "occurred during classroom games. The students involved reported Craswell touching them on their arms and stomach." What is known about the alleged incident That 2023 situation was known to investigators who analyzed Craswell's digital records in the fall of 2024, scouring thousands of pages of Craswell's online chats. "During one conversation, [Craswell] alludes to sexually touching three other girls while teaching them," said the court documents presented at the time of his guilty pleas. "This matter was investigated and the children's parents ultimately declined to allow them to participate in police interviews," said the court document. Media Video | If your children ask about P.E.I. case involving a substitute teacher, this psychologist has advice Caption: Disturbing details have been emerging from a recent court case involving a substitute teacher who pleaded guilty this week to sexual touching at a P.E.I. primary school. To help us navigate how to handle conversations about this, especially with young children, CBC News: Compass spoke with a psychologist, Dr. Jacqueline Roche. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Police investigations typically do not proceed unless the people involved are interviewed. Craswell was never charged for the West Kent incident, and it has not been tested in court. The PSB has said this situation, like the Glen Stewart incident, was investigated internally and deemed not be sexual in nature, so police and Child Protection were not called at the time. PSB Director Tracy Beaulieu told CBC News that the incident was brought to light for the organization and connected to the Glen Stewart investigation only when Craswell was charged in August of 2024 — 14 months after the incident at West Kent. The West Kent principal in June of 2023 was Tracy Ellsworth, who died in 2024. "We take all complaints very seriously," the PSB said in its statement Friday, adding that the April 29 court proceedings and the agreed statement of facts in the case "have further revealed more information regarding Craswell's motivations that were not revealed at the time of the reports to schools." It added: "We can also confirm that no new incidents have been reported to the Public Schools Branch since his arrest in August 2024 or the court proceedings on April 29th. "Our greatest priority is the well-being of our students and families. We want all Island families to know that there are supports in place and, if children are upset by the stories they are hearing in the news or other media, we can help them. Please reach out." Safety is main priority, minister says "What has been done to protect the safety of children at West Kent School?" Liberal MLA Gordon McNeilly asked in the legislature moments after Croucher identified the second school Friday. Croucher repeated what he's been saying in the house for days: The PSB has a new centralized tracking system for staff incidents and the department has implemented new mandatory training for educators and those who work with children in schools. "Everyone is taking this seriously, okay? Everyone on this side of the House. Everyone in our system. Everyone is hypervigilant right now," Croucher responded. "Our main priority is the safety of the children in our system." There are resources and supports available to anyone who has experienced sexual violence:
