By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The grim reality of a mass killing in a neighbouring province prompted Alberta to take “a hard look” at school security, a UCP member recounted in the legislature Monday.
In the aftermath of five students and an educational assistant dying at Tumbler Ridge Secondary on Feb. 10, Alberta has put $22 million towards safety and security improvements for schools. Most of the money addresses critical infrastructure needs, but $2 million is headed for improvements in emergency preparedness.
Said Shane Getson, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland: “Every morning, families send their kids to school trusting they’ll be protected, supported and able to learn without being put in harm’s way. Teachers and staff deserve the same sense of safety in places where they have chosen to teach our children as a lifelong career.”
Eight people, plus the shooter, died in the Tumbler Ridge tragedy.
Killed at the school were Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39, and students Zoey Benoit, Ticaria Lampert, Abel Mwansa and Kylie Smith, all 12, and Ezekiel Schofield, 13
At a residence, the dead were Jennifer Jacobs (Strang), 39, and Emmett Jacobs, 11.
Twenty-seven others were injured, two critically.
The shooter, an 18-year-old former student of the secondary, died by her own hand.
Among school upgrades for Alberta schools announced April 9 are fortified doors with better locks, better and additional security cameras, and more appropriately designed window coverings. The province is also working with school authorities to improve safety standards.
Said Getson, the UCP’s parliamentary secretary for economic corridor development: “Students should not carry any fear into the classroom with them. Safety must not be an afterthought.”
He concluded: “When children feel safe, they can focus on learning, growing and building their future. Safe schools protect more than buildings . . . they protect peace of mind, opportunity, and the promise of a strong and free Alberta forever.”
Tumbler Ridge is a coal mining community of about 2,400 people. By paved highway it’s about 250 kilometres southwest of Grande Prairie, a regional powerhouse across the B.C. border in north central Alberta.
