Hanover school trustees called to minister’s office again, expert calls policy open to censorship

The Hanover School Division board of trustees were called to the education minister’s office for the second time in two years over a policy it passed that could be deemed discriminatory and could lead to censorship.

The trustees passed Policy AK – Responsible Use of Educational Resources during the last board meeting. The policy was created after parents, students, and teachers were complaining about inappropriate content in schools, according to board chair Dallas Wiebe.

Wiebe wouldn’t say what the content was, what form it was viewed, or how students were exposed to the content. He did say trustees had been working on the policy for the past two years.

“I’m going to estimate roughly two years in discussion where we had different materials that were graphic (brought to us), and we’ve also had materials, posting things that were – you know, things that were inappropriate…We heard from all kinds (of people) where materials were inappropriate and not by a small margin. I’ll leave it at that,” he told The Carillon after the meeting to approve the policy.

As written, Policy AK does not restrict legitimate age appropriate educational materials and discussions within the classroom if they are deemed “educationally relevant, and consistent with student wellbeing.”

The policy defines inappropriate materials as “any written, visual, audio, or digital material that may contain graphic or explicit content that encourages unlawful activity, contains graphic depictions of extreme physical harm, exploits minors, or that contains explicit and/or vulgar language.”

Also, falling under the definition of inappropriate material is sexual content that “presents sexual behaviour, themes, or nudity in a manner that encourages sexual activity or that places primary emphasis on sexualized desire rather than legitimate educational objectives such as human health.”

Further, “educational purpose, context, or intended outcome does not permit the use of material that otherwise meets the definition of inappropriate materials.”

Education Minister Tracy Schmidt held a meeting in her office with the trustees to discuss the policy.

“My focus is on making sure that kids have all of the resources they need to have the best educational outcomes and the best lives that they can, right? So, that’s what we talked about in our meeting today,” she said, noting the board will be putting procedures and policies in place to make sure that marginalized students are not targeted or made to feel unsafe in their schools.

Schmidt wouldn’t say whether former provincial advisor Kelly Barkman was aware of the trustees’ discussions regarding the creation of Policy AK during the year he was overseeing the board, nor if she would appoint another advisor.

Barkman was assigned to oversee the board after complaints to the minister that the board was acting and making decisions in a discriminatory manner. Barkman left his post in December.

“What I can say is that myself as minister, I am absolutely committed to and focused on working with Hanover School Division to make sure that whatever governance questions they might have, we’ll work together to resolve it.”

Hanover Parents’ Alliance for Diversity (HPAD) spokesperson Jane Wilson said the group met with the minister on April 27 to discuss the board’s policies and conduct. It would like to see another provincial advisor appointed to oversee the board, without ties to Hanover as Barkman taught in Hanover School Division during his career as an educator. As well, that all reporting be made public and that meaningful action takes place.

HPAD claims in 2024, more than 1,350 people signed a petition calling for action regarding trustee conduct.

HPAD fears Policy AK will marginalize vulnerable students, such as LGBTQ+ and racialized students, even further. Wilson said the policy is essentially a book ban and called it “disturbing.”

“Every time a policy comes up like this, it calls into question that librarians and teachers and principals…are just filling schools with all kinds of inappropriate material. It’s ridiculous. It sows seeds of mistrust and distrust of the professionals who are in a place to educate and support our kiddos,” she said.

The implementation and compliance of Policy AK places the onus on the shoulders of teachers and principals. Teachers are to decide if educational materials are appropriate with principals having the final word if there is any ambiguity, although parents or students can object by following the division’s Positive Problem Solving policy. Should a concern be brought to the board level by an objector, then a closed door meeting would take place.

Any teacher or principal found not to be in compliance of the policy will be disciplined.

“I have confidence in our principals. And they’ve been doing this job for a long time. Certainly, it’s not like our principals are first year university (students) where they’re not well-versed in making that professional decision,” said board chair Dallas Wiebe.

He said if there are a large number of complaints to the principal about content in the classroom then the necessity for the policy “is even greater.”

Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) president Lillian Klausen issued a statement calling the policy “a troubling message of the kind of school environment Hanover School Division is choosing to create for students and educators.”

Klausen called the policy “a growing pattern of harmful decisions that threaten inclusive public education and undermine the professional judgement of teachers.”

MTS also raised the issue that the policy would jeopardize LGBTQ+ and Indigenous and other racialized students.

“The fact that this policy was adopted during Pride Month makes that message even more disturbing. At a time when communities across Manitoba are affirming inclusion, belonging, and human rights, Hanover School Division has chosen a different path.”

Neil McArthur, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, has a number of concerns regarding the policy.

He called Wiebe’s denial to share what graphic and inappropriate materials were being shown in schools that prompted the policy as “bonkers.”

“With all due respect to him, that’s bonkers,” he said.

“So, what are we talking about here? What are these materials? Because that in of itself is very concerning if they can’t tell us what are some of the examples of materials that are being banned.”

He believes the policy is too broad and could lead to censorship in libraries and in the classroom.

“(The policy) puts the power in the hands of the small minority who are willing to complain and who have the most extreme views,” said McArthur.

As per the policy, parents are notified and allowed to review sensitive topics that might be taught in the classroom with the option of taking their child out of the lesson.

The professor also believes there will be inconsistencies in what is being taught from school to school within the division because the decision as to what is appropriate is subjective personal opinion. He said it puts principals in a tough position to make censorship decisions when they are not trained to do that.

“You know, what’s going on under the surface here too…there’s some parents who just don’t want their kids to talk positive messages about certain kinds of sexual identities and sexual behaviors and they want to believe that their kids will never have sex,” he said.

McArthur believes the board was too reactive and that it should have used an education consultant when crafting Policy AK. According to governance chair Jeff Friesen, the board used the Criminal Code of Canada, Public Schools Act, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Manitoba Education, and the division’s policies AH and AG (Responsible Use of Technology and Safe and Caring Schools, respectfully) when crafting the policy. Friesen never mentioned using a consultant.

“There just seems to be a real lack of transparency in this whole process and lurking behind this document,” said McArthur.