Fire alarms and fights at several schools over the past week have prompted the leaders of Halifax Regional School Board, Halifax RCMP and Halifax Regional Police to put their heads together.
Board chairman Irvine Carvery confirmed yesterday he’s meeting with Supt. Darrell Beaton, officer in charge of the Mounties, and HRP Chief Frank Beazley at 2:30 p.m. today to talk about how best to deal with violence at the city’s schools.
Carvery, also the board’s African Nova Scotian member, said he wants to be sure administrators and police officers are “on the same page” when brawls break out, such as those at Auburn Drive High last Friday and Cole Harbour District High Monday
“This will be my first opportunity to sit down with the law enforcement agencies to discuss this matter,” said Carvery, who was elected to the board last October. He wants today’s initial get-together to result in more meetings between the local police forces and his senior staff, so everyone’s well aware of protocol when students start turning on each other.
Carvery said he’ll also ask Beaton and Beazley if racism is a problem in schools, and whether or not there’s any strain felt between students and police.
“If there’s anything I can do to help build bridges, then I’m prepared to do it,” he said.
School board spokesman Doug Hadley said the disruptive behavior lately “gives us great concern.”
“We need students to realize that there will be consequences for actions,” he said, adding about 30 total suspensions have been handed out at Auburn Drive and Cole Harbour.
“Every student and every staff member has an absolute right to . . . feel safe in school and we will make sure that that occurs.”
