The guardian of two First Nations girls with disabilities has taken action against their Vancouver elementary school, citing the institution's failure to protect them from severe bullying. Following troubling incidents, including one involving physical aggression and inappropriate touching, their guardian, known as Ollie, decided to withdraw the girls from the school after growing increasingly frustrated with the staff's response to their complaints.
The harrowing situation began on November 13, when the younger sister, aged nine, reported witnessing her 11-year-old sister being groped and pushed face-first onto the ground during recess. This shocking incident highlighted what Ollie sees as not only individual negligence but also systemic issues within the school’s handling of students with disabilities. The younger girl, who has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and ADHD, and her older sister, who has autism and global developmental delay, now find themselves out of the classroom due to what their guardian views as unmet educational needs.
Ollie had hoped for more from the school, especially after starting the academic year on such hopeful terms. The girls, both new to the school after being on the waitlist, had shown early signs of distress, particularly the older sister, who Ollie feared would face bullying due to her behavior associated with autism. Instantly, there were instances of teasing, name-calling, and eventual physical harassment, which escalated quickly but were not adequately addressed by school authorities. "This is going to be normal bullying for her; how can we teach her with her skill set and her executive functioning to advocate for herself?" questioned Ollie as she reflected on the most distressing interactions her girls had faced.
Despite Ollie's proactive attempts to engage school staff, including reaching out to the Vancouver School Board, she claims she faced dishonesty during conversations about the bullying incidents. The turning point came when Ollie picked up her 11-year-old daughter one afternoon, and saw her covered in mud, her face showing clear signs of distress. The principal had casually mentioned the girls had simply been playing with friends, failing to mention any incidents of bullying as reported by Ollie's younger daughter. According to Ollie, the younger girl indicated to her what had actually transpired—that her sister was pushed, hit, and subjected to inappropriate touching.
Frustration mounted as Ollie’s communication with both the principal and the Vancouver School Board seemed to yield little concrete action. "I felt like the responsibility was always being pushed onto me or my daughter," she recounted. Rather than receiving support, the family felt they were alone in their fight to secure appropriate treatment for the girls.
Moved by the urgency of the situation, Ollie filed a police report detailing the incidents, raising alarms about not only her girls' safety but also the lack of appropriate response systems for students, particularly those with disabilities. "There just aren't the things in place to protect disabled students, especially not disabled First Nation students," Ollie expressed earnestly, emphasizing her disappointment with the response from the school itself.
Interestingly, this isn’t just an isolated incident but part of a broader problem affecting students with disabilities across British Columbia. According to Erika Cedillo, director of Public Policy and Programs at Inclusion B.C., nearly half of their calls relate to the lack of accessible and inclusive education, reinforcing the systemic failures parents face within the educational system. Cedillo stated, "Nearly 50 percent of our calls are related to barriers to accessing inclusive education." This statistic encapsulates the struggles families endure as they navigate schools inadequately equipped to support students with disabilities due to insufficient resources.
Ollie has since enrolled her daughters in the Vancouver Learning Network—an online program through the district—while she has taken leave from her job to dedicate her time to their education. This shift marks not only personal sacrifice but also deep concern for the educational future of her children. "I wouldn’t blindly just put them back to the public school system," said Ollie, reflecting on her newfound commitment to providing the necessary support.
Despite Ollie’s decision to pull her children from the school, she holds onto hope. Her aim is to find not just any school but one equipped with proper supports where her daughters can thrive without fear of bullying. The hope is to continue educating her children at home until they can return safely to the classroom environment they deserve.
Challenges such as Ollie's story expose deep cracks within the educational system, underscoring the urgent need for reform and improved strategies to combat bullying, especially for vulnerable populations. Each incident like this serves as a poignant reminder of the battle parents face to secure appropriate and safe educational environments for their children, as they advocate tirelessly against structures and systems often ill-prepared to meet diverse needs. It begs the question—how many more children experience such harassment, and what can be done to change the narrative for families who find themselves fighting for basic rights to dignity and safety within schools?
