An event was held last month in the Fraser Valley on the safety of marginalized students and the presence of police officers in schools.

A collaborative virtual panel was held on Jan.12 between Fraser Valley Human Dignity Coalition Archway Services and the Abbotsford Restorative Justice and Advocacy Association discussing using SLOs in Fraser Valley Schools.

The Abbotsford Police Department (APD) and Abbotsford School Board have long been involved with the SLO program. SLOs are placed in schools to ensure the safety of students and listen to concerns students may have regarding gang violence, domestic abuse etc. 

On Nov. 25, 2022, a directive was released by BC Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender questioning the School Boards' use of SLOs in schools. Commissioner 

“Out of respect for the rights of our students, I strongly recommend that all school districts end the use of SLOs until the impact of these programs can be established empirically,”Govender says.

Govender asks that districts that wish to continue using SLOs in schools provide evidence of its benefit to students and further recommends non-police alternatives in schools.

Abbotsford School district Superintendent Kevin Godden says that the school board and the APD would thoughtfully review the use of the program.

CIVL spoke with UFV Faculty member and advocate Sharnjit Sandhra about her background and her concerns with the panel and the use of SLOs in schools. 

Listen below to the full interview with Sharanjit: