We should be able to expect a system where no child sits in wet clothes all day, and no child is changed alone by a single staff member behind closed doors. These are basic, non-negotiable standards for dignity and safety, not optional aspirations.
While we can all acknowledge that the system is under immense strain, that doesn’t negate the fundamental rights of parents or the need for clear ethical standards when it comes to children’s safety. A lack of funding or chronic understaffing shouldn’t excuse situations where a child’s privacy and dignity are compromised. Even in challenging circumstances, those in positions of authority have a duty to act transparently and to prioritize the well-being of the most vulnerable.
Vancouver mom wants answers
A recent incident at a Vancouver elementary school has sparked outrage after a mother discovered that her son had his clothes changed by a male substitute teacher in a basement room, without any other adults present.
According to a CTV News report, the boy returned home in different clothes than the ones he had been sent to school in, and his clean, dry clothes were returned to the family in a sealed bag. The mother reported that her son, who has a disability, disclosed that a male teacher had taken him alone to a basement room to change his clothes.
She claims the school failed to inform her of the incident, and when she sought answers, she felt stonewalled by the administration. This lack of transparency has led to concern among parents about the district’s commitment to student safety and accountability.
Problems happen in a wider system
Individual actions don’t occur in isolation. They happen within a larger system, shaped by pressures, constraints, and unspoken norms. It’s a system that often values immediate problem-solving over long-term safety, that prioritizes keeping the gears turning over acknowledging critical failures.
When staff make poor choices within this ecosystem—whether from a lack of training, unclear expectations, or simple human error—it reflects not just on the individual but on the broader institutional culture that permits, and sometimes even pressures, these lapses. In a healthy system, these actions would be met with immediate correction, clear guidance, and meaningful accountability. But when that doesn’t happen, the result is predictable: harm to the most vulnerable.
“In a healthy system, these actions would be met with immediate correction, clear guidance, and meaningful accountability.”
Escalating concerns is not an attack on staff, but a necessary form of advocacy. Parents are often left with few avenues to pursue accountability, especially when the district’s appeals process is deeply lacking.
What District could do to help this situation
The single most impactful change the Vancouver School District could make is to adopt a transparent, widely used reporting system that balances privacy with accountability.
Protecting privacy
This system should offer different levels of access, ensuring the right information reaches the right people without compromising personal privacy:
Public view
- Anonymized, aggregate data showing overall trends, like the number of reported incidents, common types of safety breaches, and the average time taken to resolve them.
- Heat maps highlighting common locations or types of safety breaches.
- High-level summaries of corrective actions taken, without personally identifiable information.
- Regular updates on how the District is using this data to improve safety and training.
Parent view (for those directly impacted)
- Detailed, case-specific information about their child’s incident, including timelines, staff involvement (anonymized where necessary), and corrective actions taken.
- Clear communication about the training status of staff involved and the steps being taken to prevent recurrence.
- Regular updates on the status of their concerns, including summaries of how the data is being used to drive change.
District view
- Role-reliant access to incident reports, including staff names, training gaps, and direct accountability measures.
- Data to identify systemic issues, like recurring patterns in staff behaviour or frequent safety breaches at particular sites.
- Automated alerts when certain thresholds are crossed (e.g., a high number of incidents involving a particular protocol).
Without this kind of transparency, too many incidents end with parents forced to take costly legal action, often resulting in NDAs that obscure the truth and prevent meaningful change. This is a costly cycle, both financially and ethically, diverting resources away from the very services that could prevent these harms in the first place. It also creates a perverse incentive for Districts to deny services upfront, to avoid potential liability, rather than investing in safer, more supportive environments.
What parents can do when the system fails
Until the Province stops things like this from happening, parents have every right to seek out whatever means are available—whether media, legal action, or complaints to the Teacher Regulation Branch.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some steps you can take:
- File a police report: If your child has been harmed but is not in immediate danger, you can file a formal police report or victim impact statement, which helps establish a record of the incident and ensures it is formally documented.
- Request a police welfare check: If you are concerned about your child’s ongoing safety, you can request a welfare check by police to ensure their environment remains safe.
- File a protection order: If you believe your child is at immediate risk, you can file a protection order with the police.
- Go to the media: Consider reaching out to local news outlets like CTV News to raise awareness.
- Write a blog or share your story online: Personal accounts can build public pressure for change.
- Make a Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) complaint: File a formal complaint with the Teacher Regulation Branch.
- Submit Freedom of Information (FOI) requests: Use the BC Freedom of Information Act to request documentation about the incident.
- Write to government officials: Share your concerns with provincial government, including Premier and Minister for Education.
- Connect with other parents: Join or build a network of allies who can help amplify your voice and push for systemic change.
This kind of pressure is essential for change, and in the end, it can benefit staff as well, by reducing the moral injury so many well-meaning educators are suffering in a broken system. So way to go to the mom who brought this egregious misstep to the media!
