A group of parents based in Williams Lake has gathered 30 signatures in support of a letter calling for an independent investigation into School District 27 (SD 27).
The letter is penned by members of Concerned Parents and Caregivers of Williams Lake (CPWL), a group formed due to its concerns of violence and accountability in SD 27. It highlights a multitude of concerns, namely what they believe are issues of bullying, harassment, discrimination, racism, violence, cronyism and the possible misuse of funds in the school district.
“The response is unbelievable,” said George Hobi, a member of CPWL, explaining how the group has seen a spike in membership over the last few months.
“For a long time, our message was we want to be heard,” Hobi said about the group which was first formed in March 2024 and now has 253 members. “Our message has changed; we want to see change in the leadership."
“Our district regularly engages with our communities to celebrate their successes and find common solutions to any challenges,” stated Cheryl Lenardon, Supt. of School District 27, in an emailed response to inquiries by simplymastery sent to the board of education and school district.
“We have heard this small but vocal group's concerns. Unfortunately, their unfounded and ever-changing accusations are consuming a large amount of staff and board time, splitting our focus from our sole goal of ensuring the success of every student,” she said.
The group’s letter claims the issues within the district originate from deeper within the system. They sent the letter on March 15 to over 20 recipients including Minister of Education and Child Care (MECC) Lisa Beare, Premier David Eby and SD 27 Supt. Cheryl Lenardon.
“It is the hostile leadership culture within SD27, which includes intimidation and bullying from the top down, that contributes to a toxic environment of fear and distrust,” CPWL wrote in the letter, alleging this culture “permeates the schools, trickling down to staff, students and parents.”
Signing the letter along with members of CPWL are the entire chief and council of Esk’etemc (Alkali Lake), a First Nation community about 50 minutes south of Williams Lake. Members of Esk’etemc have been expressing similar concerns about the district for over two years, leading to a September 2024 resolution by the Union of British Columbian Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) calling for a comprehensive investigation into SD 27.
“Nothing is really being done,” said Calvin Dubray, the education director for Esk'etemc. He said there has not yet been a direct response to the UBCIC resolution, nor has Beare met with Esk'etemc to understand their concerns.
“It’s really, really disappointing and frustrating,” Dubray said. “It’s...surprising, astonishing actually, that they haven’t met with us.”
Dubray wants the minister to hear directly from those affected in order to understand what he sees as a system-wide issue.
He said he believes the “bullying, intimidation and harassment of SD 27 staff” he alleges comes from senior admin, leads to the problems being experienced by students and families.
These concerns echo those highlighted in the recent letter, which identifies 21 common issues the group claims to see within the district.
The words “victim blaming,” “figure-pointing,” “shaming,” “systemic neglect” and “lack of accountability” are among the striking allegations in the letter.
In response to a district review
The March 15 letter was written in direct response to a Feb. 3 meeting held by Safer Schools Together (SST), an organization currently conducting a review of the district’s culture and climate. The meeting was in relation to a survey distributed by SST to students between grades 6 and 12 as part of its review.
“Esk'etemc is opposed to this way of doing things,” said Dubray who explained the nation was not consulted in the formation of the survey.
“This is not what we wanted.”
He and CPWL pointed to issues with the distribution of the survey, stating they heard from parents and students in grades 6 to 12 who did not receive it.
Danielle Colbourne, a mother of a young student and member of CPWL, criticized the survey for its exclusion of younger grades.
“We see issues as young as kindergarten and grade one,” she wrote in an email to simplymastery. She also said students should be able to fill out the survey from home where they may feel more comfortable to answer truthfully or to ask questions for clarifications.
Colbourne said a survey which would hear from all students, parents and staff would provide a clearer and more accurate picture for the district to understand what’s taking place.
CPWL also sent a letter to Minister Beare on March 3, pleading for meaningful action “where others have failed.”
Lenardon acknowledged the district needs to improve on its communications and engagement with families.
“We know we didn’t always get it right. We also recognize that poor communication has led to confusion and frustration, and for these things, I apologize and promise we will do better.”
MECC responded to simplymastery's inquiry by stating it appreciates the advocacy work which has been done and that it is currently conducting a district-wide review with SD 27 and SST.
"All schools must be supportive spaces where every student can thrive and feel welcomed," the ministry wrote in an emailed response. "Students are best supported when school districts create an environment where students, families, staff and community members are heard. Any time concerns are brought forward, the ministry takes them very seriously."
MECC also said it has been meeting regularly with SD 27 leadership to address these concerns and has helped the district with accessing external mentorship and support from experts.
SST said it was unable to comment in time for the publication of this story.
