By Tom Mark

Alleged Child Abuse At Armstrong School

Mar 8, 2018 | 12:27 PM

The parents of a six year old girl in Armstrong are angry and in turmoil over the alleged sexual abuse of their daughter at her elementary school by another girl, aged 9.

The parents, whose identity we will not reveal, told CJIB News, they feel the school district is not taking the incident seriously enough.

The girl’s father says they learned of the alleged abuse in November when their daughter said she didn’t want to go to school.

“She proceeded to tell us that she did not want to go to school because she did not want to go to the bathroom with this other little girl. And we proceeded to ask why is that. And that she had been coaxed into the bathroom on numerous occasions and been fondled with her pants off.”

He says the other girl admitted to the acts and was suspended for a time but is back at school.

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The parents of the younger girl say they were told safety protocols were put in place, but feel not enough care is taken to ensure their daughter’s safety.

“The little girl was supposed to be picked up every day. She was not supposed to be without adult supervision at any point in time. She was supposed to be picked up in the back of the school, not allowed on the bus.”

The parents say they’re weren’t notified in advance when the older girl was allowed back.

The six year old’s mother says the restrictions were not being followed.

“From the moment they put the initial safety plans where the girl was supposed to be picked up in the back, always with a C-E-A, or an adult, they broke every one. She was always picked up in the front, literally ten feet from my daughter’s exit to the school. I caught her numerous times without adult supervision.”

She says when she complained about that she was told she was mistaken, that she had seen another child.

But she says two weeks later, the girl was picked up in the same location.

The mother says she contacted the Ministry of Education, the School District Superintendent Peter Jory and MLA Greg Kyllo.

She says the Ministry implemented the Safer Schools program, and after an investigation, made changes to the safety plan.

However, she says those changes included her daughter not being allowed to use the hallway, no longer allowed to have a locker, and a hook was installed in her classroom where she could hang her belongings while her classmates used lockers.

She says she was not given an explanation for that.

The mother goes on to say she was contacted by the principal of the school this past Tuesday when she was told the principal had brought her daughter into the alleged abuser’s classroom.

She tells CJIB News she was told it was a mistake and the explanation she got from the school superintendent was that the principal was tired.

She says her husband has also been banned from school property because he allegedly became aggressive to school officials.

The mother says she has a meeting Monday, March 12th with the superintendent, the principal and government appointed trustee Mike McKay.

She says her daughter is not handling her days well, has been acting out in school and doesn’t want to go to school.

She says the school district initially offered counselling but with the same counsellor dealing with the nine year old girl.

Her daughter is now seeing someone but the family is having to pay the cost.

She says police have been notified but she says the nine year old cannot be charged because of her age.

CJIB contacted the school district for a response.

Here is the statement issued by School District 83 Superintendent Peter Jory:

While we are unable to respond to the particular details of any student matter, what I can speak to is the process and approach to providing care and support to students in our schools:

We approach all situations mindful of individual circumstances and best practices for safety of students and staff in the district.The district also reaches out to the Ministry of Education’s provincial experts in the field of Student Safety, Risk Assessment and Trauma Response for additional guidance and support.

The North Okanagan Shuswap School District is dedicated to ensuring the safety and emotional well-being of all of our students. Planning for student safety, including understanding and addressing sexual behaviour of children under the age of 12, is undertaken by a team of professionals based at our schools and district, and involves professionals in the community with expertise in these complex matters. Safety support plans may be created and adapted as necessary to meet individual needs.

Peter Jory,
Superintendent of Schools/CEO

Following is the statement issued by Vernon North Okanagan RCMP

The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP were made aware of this allegation on November 14th, 2017 and a police investigation was conducted. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, no child under the age of 12 will be charged with a criminal offence.

The RCMP have concluded our investigation and the appropriate partner agencies have been briefed and are involved with the families. This includes the School, the School District and the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

No further information will be released in regards to this investigation by the RCMP.

by Tom Mark