The New Westminster school district has issued a statement condemning threats that were made against the school board chair following a vote on police in schools.
The board’s education committee voted Tuesday night (April 13) to discontinue the police liaison officer program in the district’s schools. In their discussion, reported on the Record website Wednesday, board members mentioned the harm done to racialized students, in particular Black and Indigenous students, with the presence of police in schools.
Following that vote, board chair Gurveen Dhaliwal was the target of an anonymous threat of violence.
The New Westminster school district issued a statement this afternoon in response:
“At New Westminster Schools, we welcome healthy debate and discussion on the important issues that affect our students, schools and community. It’s how we engage, grow and learn.
“But there is zero tolerance or space for reactions that become abusive or threatening.
“As a district we condemn the threats that were sent to the chair of our board of education, following a motion that was passed at this week’s education policy and planning committee meeting. Gender and race-based threats and violence have no place in our schools or our community.”
(The Record is choosing not to share the threat, which was made public on social media. The Record has also been in contact with Dhaliwal, who has chosen not to comment further.)
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