Moutainview School Division bans most flags from flying on its properties

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A school division already mired in controversy has banned the flying of all but federal, provincial or school flags on its school property.

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“It seems that flags of other nations or organizations offend this group of trustees,” retired Mountain View School Division (MVSD) teacher Cam Bennett said.

Members of a provincially-appointed oversight committee walked out of a Sept. 25 MVSD trustee meeting after accusing the board of attempting to limit the committee’s oversight powers.

At the same meeting, trustees voted in favour of a motion that banned flying any flags on school property, except for provincial or federal flags or flags that represent MVSD’s 16 schools, with an enrollment of approximately 3,100 students.

Bennett, who lives in Dauphin and taught in the division for 33 years, called the move “concerning” for several reasons.

“The division has a strong international program where many students from other countries attend our schools,” Bennett said. “The local high school has over 20 different flags up from countries, welcoming these students.”

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Bennett added he is concerned about what message the flag ban sends to members of the LGBTIQA+
community in area schools, and throughout the region.

“These trustees don’t seem to recognize the importance of making members of the LGBTQ+ community feel a part of the public school system,” Bennett said. “That’s all those flags represent, to say to those students or adults, we recognize you.”

But Bennett is also concerned about what message the ban could send to those who might target members of the LGBTIQA+ community, or other marginalized or diverse groups.

“It emboldens, and allows hate to bubble to the surface,” he said.

MVSD trustees Paul Coffey, Jason Gryba, John Taylor, and Kerri Wieler voted in favour of the flag ban at the meeting and none have responded to a request for comment.

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Bennett says he has been concerned for months about the actions of the MVSD school division, a division that has seen several controversies since last April when Coffey made a presentation to the board making comments about Indigenous peoples that the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs called “profoundly racist.”

Education Minister Nello Altomare immediately expressed concern about the presentation and announced in April the province would conduct a provincial governance review of MVSD, and appoint an oversight committee to oversee the board, and monitor trustee conduct.

On June 4, the board announced that Stephen Jaddock had been removed from his role as superintendent after four trustees voted to oust him, but would not give any reason for the dismissal.

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One day later on June 5, MVSD trustees Leifa Misko, Floyd Martens and Scott McCallum announced their resignations, with Misko saying the environment at the board table had gotten so bad, that she did not feel she could continue to do her job effectively.

Bennett said at this point the best option for the province would be to dissolve the board completely once the review is completed.

“Every person I talk to says that the board should be dissolved to try to heal some wounds in the community,” he said. “Most are afraid to speak publicly. This has gone on far too long.”

On Friday, a spokesperson for the provincial government said the provincial governance review of MVSD is ongoing, and the province is not considering dissolution of the board as an option.

— 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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