Overview

• Education Minister Lisa Beare has rejected the Greater Victoria School District's safety plan, citing deficiencies in addressing key safety concerns.
• The district barred police from schools last year, citing concerns from Indigenous and racialized students about feeling unsafe with officers present.
• Critics, including Victoria Police Chief Del Manak, have linked the absence of police in schools to increased gang recruitment and other safety risks.
• Former Abbotsford superintendent Kevin Godden has been appointed as a special adviser to assist the board in creating a revised safety plan.
• The revised plan must include collaboration with law enforcement, First Nations, and community partners, and be submitted by January 6 to avoid potential board replacement under the School Act.