Students, parents concerned over bullying and cultural sensitivity issues at Thunder Bay, Ont., school

Families are raising concerns about ongoing violence and bullying at a Catholic middle school in Thunder Bay, Ont., a situation that led a First Nation chief in the area to speak to the school boards and the hiring of security guards.

Pope John Paul II is one of three middle schools for Grade 7 and 8 students in the northwestern Ontario city.

In April 2022, Pamela Kaartinen started a Facebook group called Concerned Parents of Pope John Paul School. With about 230 members at publication time, the group's posts include parents sharing stories of physical, verbal and online bullying, and recordings of fights.

Recently, security guards were hired to address escalating concerns at the school, which is on the former grounds of St. Joseph's Indian Residential School. As the only middle school on the city's south side, it's attended by many students from Fort William First Nation, an Ojibway First Nation on the western shores of Lake Superior.

CBC News spoke with parents who say their children have experienced bullying. They want more accountability from the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board (TBCDSB), and more mental health and cultural support for students.

"Part of sending my daughter to that school and to that school board was me trying to build a bridge and mend something that I knew was broken — and it has gone horribly wrong," said Savannah Upton of Fort William First Nation whose grandfather attended St. Joseph's. 

Upton said her 13-year-old daughter Georgia has an individual education plan (IEP) and attends school in half-day intervals because of ongoing bullying. The family is trying to get Georgia diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

CBC News asked the TBCDSB for an interview but was sent an emailed statement instead. It reads, in part:

"Bullying is an issue that we take very seriously. This behaviour will not be permitted. Schools continually work to create safe environments where bullying does not occur. As a board, we do not condone this behaviour, and respond to incidents of bullying appropriately." 

Georgia and her mom say the issues at Pope John Paul II include a lack of cultural awareness for Indigenous students. Last semester, the school brought in a man, whom Georgia believed was a priest. Georgia said he touched her head while offering a blessing that she didn't want, and she slapped his hand away.

"My child is an intergenerational residential school survivor. She did not want this priest touching her," Georgia's mom said. "When she came home and told me what happened to her, it was a violation that I've never felt before. That was a whole new feeling for me."

In regard to this specific incident Georgia references, the board's statement says the man was a deacon and was there for confirmation preparations, and "in no way, would clergy be brought in to assist with behavioural changes or student wellness — this would go against [Ministry of Education] regulations and our code of conduct.

"Clergy participate in spiritual leadership with sacraments, the celebration of mass and liturgical observances within our schools ... it is not standard practice to have clergy arbitrarily enter our schools and offer blessings to our students." 

Georgia said she sees fights nearly every day in the hallways, students "gang up" on each other and the bullying continues after the bell rings.