Focus on ‘well-rounded education’ first, says Mountain View trustee

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A school trustee continues to stand by much of what he said last spring, when a presentation he made led to accusations of racism, and pushed the province to initiate a governance review of the Manitoba school division.

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On April 24, Mountain View School Division (MVSD) trustee Paul Coffey raised alarm bells in the Dauphin-based division and at the Manitoba Legislature, when he made a presentation he called “Racism/Anti Racism – Nice Until It Isn’t.”

The presentation led to then Education Minister Nello Altomare calling for a governance review of MVSD, and appointing an oversight committee to monitor trustee actions and behaviours.

In the presentation, Coffey argued against implementing inclusivity and anti-racism policies and activities in schools, and against creating school-based organizations geared towards supporting marginalized groups, including racialized groups, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, calling those groups “divisive.”

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Coffey also outraged Indigenous leaders, with controversial statements about Indigenous people and history in his presentation, suggesting that the term Indian continue to be used when referring to Indigenous people, and questioning why school curriculums don’t do more to teach what he said were the “good” aspects of residential schools. He also argued against Indigenous land acknowledgements calling the practice “divisive.”

Coffey spoke to the Winnipeg Sun and sent a letter explaining his positions, and why he will continue to speak out against anti-racism programs and initiatives in schools. He cited his previous experience as a reason for his opposition, as before becoming a trustee he worked for seven years as a Workplace Safety and Health Officer in MVSD.

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“In this role, I ensured compliance with legislation, policies, and procedures and helped develop key divisional procedures, including the procedure addressing discrimination, human rights and harassment,” Coffey said.

“In recent years, the government has focused on implementing new policies, such as anti-racism and inclusion initiatives, with significant funding. As someone familiar with policy development, it is my responsibility to advise the board to closely scrutinize new policies.

“While these initiatives may have good intentions, history shows that not all government-driven projects yield successful results.”

Coffey said he believes the best way to promote inclusivity and combat racism at schools is to actually talk less and teach less about racism and inclusivity, and teach kids less about some of the harms of the past experienced by groups and people.

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“There’s no need to teach these directly if we focus on ensuring our children receive a solid, well-rounded education,” Coffey said. “When students master the basics they are better equipped to understand complex societal issues such as inclusion, anti-racism, decolonization, and reconciliation.”

In an email, a Manitoba Teacher’s Society (MTS) spokesperson said MTS has a much different opinion when it comes to teaching issues of racism and inclusivity in schools, and said there is no room in schools for “distorted history.”

“There is no room for hate, distorted history or falsehood in a school, or on a school board,” MTS said. “School trustees play an essential role in shaping the character of education in a community and the environment in which students receive that education.”

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MTS also criticized Coffey’s assertions that school-based organizations geared towards supporting marginalized groups are actually creating more division in schools.

“We stand against any attempt to undermine students’ identities, limit their potential, or re-traumatize communities seeking to take meaningful steps towards Reconciliation,” MTS said.

“The Manitoba Teachers’ Society advocates for safe and supportive schools for all students, where culture and identity are honoured and protected, and where academic excellence is rooted in the truth.”

The MVSD school board will look a lot different at its next meeting on Nov. 12, four vacant seats were filled in a by-election.

Coffey said he would be happy to see different opinions and perspectives brought to the board by the four elected trustees, and will welcome “open and honest debate” when the board reconvenes next week.

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“I believe we need a more diverse board and I welcome different opinions,” Coffey said. “Let’s have a discussion, but everyone has to be able to speak, so let’s have a discussion, and then we’ll have a vote.”

The province said the governance review of MVSD continues and acting Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said the province continues to have faith in the work that a provincially appointed oversight committee is doing to monitor conduct in MVSD.

“Having an inclusive and safe environment for children to learn is a priority for our government,” Schmidt said in a emailed statement. “We appointed the panel to ensure stability and provide guidance regarding governance practices to the MVSD board.

“The oversight panel looks forward to working with the board as new members are on-boarded, and they will continue to oversee progress on key priorities such as diversity, inclusion and reconciliation.”

Photo captions

Embattled Mountain View School Division (MVSD) trustee Paul Coffey says he continues to stand by much of what he said last spring, when a presentation he made led to accusations of racism, and pushed the province to initiate a governance review of MVSD. Handout

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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