MEDIA RELEASE
August 12, 2021 – Today, the Public Schools Branch (PSB) has released the independent third party review of allegations related to Pride Day events at East Wiltshire Intermediate School from May 31 to June 12, 2021.
The review was conducted by Evelyn Bradley of Bradley Consulting, who delivered her findings to the Director of the PSB and its Board of Directors. Given the significant community interest, the PSB is releasing the report publicly. Some aspects of the report have been redacted to protect the privacy of individuals.
“We welcome the report and its findings. We heard from many concerned members of the community at the time and the review provided an opportunity for staff and students at the school to share their experiences. I think it’s important to note that the report found that staff acted professionally and supportively and that students and staff feel that the overall culture of East Wiltshire doesn’t condone bullying. However, the report also makes clear that bullying of minority students does still take place. It would be naive of us to not recognize that this is likely the case across our system and we are committed to addressing these issues,” said Norbert Carpenter, director of the PSB.
The report highlights clear areas for improvement and outlines a number of recommendations. The PSB will work with the Department of Education and Lifelong Learning and community partners such as Peers Alliance and Pride PEI to identify next steps to support learning opportunities for students and staff, and ensure our policies and procedures are effective in ensuring safe and caring learning environments across the system.
“As we have said in the past, Prince Edward Island schools are not immune to the challenges seen in society at large, but as an institution dedicated to learning we have a unique opportunity to draw on our strengths to educate our school community and mediate situations when they occur,” said Carpenter. “I want to thank everyone who participated in the review. Their candor and insights will help to guide positive change in all of our schools.”
Download the report: East Wiltshire Intermediate School Report for PSB
Media contact
Sparrow McGowan
Senior Communications Officer
Public Schools Branch
skmcgowan@edu.pe.ca
902-218-2195
