Ombudsperson Investigating Exclusion Of Students From BC Public Schools

BC’s Ombudsperson, Jay Chalke, is launching an investigation into the exclusion of students from schools in BC’s K-12 public education system.

“Our office has received complaints from across the province about children, including those with disabilities, being excluded from school with little or no instruction,” said Chalke.

“We will examine the extent to which K-12 students are being excluded from schools across the province and whether those exclusions are fair. We will assess the role of the Ministry of Education and Child Care and school districts in these exclusions.”

Complaints received by the Ombudsperson’s office indicate that school districts are excluding students due to disruptive or unsafe behaviour, or inadequate resources devoted to adequately support the student’s learning in the school.

In some cases schools are reported to have informally excluded students from school entirely or for much of the school day.

Exclusion from school can happen in many ways. Students may be:

• asked to stay home/go home
• asked to leave early/arrive late/have shortened school days
• asked not to attend field trips or other school activities
• unable to attend because of health/personal care support needs the school is unable to provide
• unable to attend because of learning support needs the school is unable to provide
• not learning with the rest of their class
• isolated by themselves in the school, secluded and/or restrained

Students or families of students who wish to contribute to the Ombudsperson’s investigation can fill out a brief, confidential questionnaire at BC Ombudsperson.

It will be open until April 1st.