Calgary Board of Education adopts policy on changing names of schools
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) approved a policy this week that will guide the board going forward on how to change the names of public schools.
The policy comes after Langevin School — named for residential school architect Hector-Louis Langevin — was renamed Riverside School earlier this month.
Public schools in Calgary can be considered for renaming through two processes.
First, a petition with at least 5,000 signatures can be presented to the CBE board, asking for the school to be renamed.
Second, the board can choose to rename a school if they decide the name does not align with its commitment to a “safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment,” the policy states. The board also created two new committees for renaming schools: one to review existing names and other to decide on names for new schools.
CBE voted to change the name of Langevin School on June 1, following the discovery of 215 Indigenous children on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
"We did not move as quickly to deal with the situation [as] I feel we could have and should have,” said CBE trustee Richard Hehr.
The board hopes this new policy and committee will ensure a timely effective process for future school name changes.
Trustee Julie Hrdlicka raised concerns that the public had not been properly consulted on the new renaming policy.
"We have said we are prioritizing inclusion and diversity and have made commitments to anti-racism through CBE cares," she said.
"Yet, we have not at any point engaged with the Elders Advisory Council or CBE Cares Advisory or its members while we were writing this policy."
Hrdlicka brought a motion to extend second reading and approval of the policy to the end of summer, allowing for more consultation time. The motion failed.
Hrdlicka also asked for the petition signature requirement to be lowered, saying it was an unnecessary barrier and pointing out that the petition to rename Langevin had less than 5,000 signatures, yet it was still renamed.
The motion to lower the signature threshold to 1,000 failed to pass.
The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) is currently debating whether they will change the name of Bishop Grandin High School.
Grandin is credited with proposing the idea an aggressive expansion of the residential school program in Western Canada during the late 19th century. The school board ran surveys earlier this month where they found 79 per cent of respondents supported a name change.
A final decision on the future of Bishop Grandin High School’s name is expected to come at the end of the month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.