Indigenous students overrepresented in Winnipeg School Division suspensions: report
A new report outlining the number of school suspensions in the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has found that Indigenous students are suspended more often then other students.
The report, released Tuesday by the WSD found that 820 students across the entire school division were suspended between 2016 and 2019.
Betty Edel, chair of the WSD Board of Trustees, said the report shows there is an overrepresentation of Indigenous students among those who are suspended.
While less than 27 per cent of enrolled students self-identify as being Indigenous, the report found that they account for roughly 55 per cent of all school suspensions.
The report said the most common reasons for suspensions include weapons, physical or verbal assault on staff or students, and misconduct.
"We understand what's going on, now comes the action. You can't just say, 'Oh OK, well we know this is going on, that's good to know,' and then you walk away from it. No, this is the beginning," Edel told CTV News.
The school division said it is engaging with elders and community partners to restore relationships with the Indigenous students and address these suspensions.
Edel said it is a step towards reconciliation.
"This is just the very beginning," she said. "We just needed to get the truth on the table because you can only start the healing journey and move forward if you are dealing with the truth."
The report found that students who are suspended for a longer time have a higher likelihood of failing or withdrawing from school. Of the students who were suspended for up to five days, 51 per cent passed, 27 per cent withdrew and 22 per cent failed.
Of the students who were suspended between 20 and 30 days, only 22 per cent passed, while 41 per cent failed and 37 per cent withdrew, according to the report.
The report noted that suspensions over five days accounted for only three per cent of the suspensions, and those students who were given longer suspensions were often repeat offenders.
The school division said it will also enhance partnerships and collaborate with mental health community agencies to address the discrepancy in suspensions, as well as develop connections within the WSD between Newcomer and Indigenous Support Teams, Student Services and Curriculum, and professional development and training in restorative practices.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.