Students accused of assaulting two Nunavut teachers in Naujaat’s school last week
One student alleged to have dragged teacher by the hair
Tuugaalik High School in Naujaat saw two alleged incidents of student-on-teacher violence last week. (Image courtesy of Accutech Engineering)
(Updated March 5 at 2:25 p.m.)
Staff at Tuugaalik High School in Naujaat say they are looking for support from the Department of Education after two teachers were assaulted by students last week.
The school, which serves about 200 students, is to be closed on Monday afternoon.
This is to allow for a staff meeting with two Education Department officials, namely, Sonia Osbourne, superintendent of schools for Kivalliq School Operations, and Bill Cooper, the KSO executive director, who were to travel to the Kivalliq community of about 1,100 people.
The first violent incident, alleged to have occurred on Wednesday, Feb. 26, involved an attack by a student on a male acting principal, say sources close to the school who are not authorized to speak to the media and who fear retribution if identified.
Other students intervened by separating the pair, and counsellors arrived to calm the student, eyewitnesses said.
This clump of hair is among many that were seen on the floor of a classroom at Naujaat’s Tuugaalik School, shortly after a violent altercation there on Feb. 28. (Submitted photo)
The second incident took place on the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 28.
Sources with knowledge of the incident say that this attack happened following a conversation in a classroom about religion.
In response to questioning from a student, a male teacher said that he does not believe in God and he does not believe that he will suffer eternal pain in Hell as a result.
The student is alleged to have said that he would show the level of pain that the teacher could expect to suffer.
Sources said he jumped up and started to drag the teacher around the classroom by his hair.
Clumps of the teacher’s hair were strewn around the classroom, where they were later photographed.
The goal of the GN visit is to lead a staff workshop, says a letter that Cooper sent to school staff on Feb. 28, which has been shared with Nunatsiaq News.
The workshop aims to help staff “succeed at preventing and surmounting challenges” and build a more “positive and stimulating outlook.”
The sources close to the school, who are not authorized to speak to media, say the letter appears to blame teachers for the recent violence.
The RCMP said on March 5 that the Naujaat detachment’s investigation was complete and that no charges would be laid against the students involved in the incidents.
The alleged attacks on teachers come after a difficult start to the school year, which saw intimidation, harassment and bullying, sources say.
The school principal has been on leave since November, they say.
The Department of Education said in an emailed statement, attributed to Education Minister David Joanasie, that it “is aware that two incidents took place last week at Tuugaalik High School in Naujaat.”
“The Department of Education takes violence in our schools very seriously, and works closely with partners such as the Nunavut Teachers Association and the Department of Human Resources to deal with any incidents that occur,” it said.
“Currently, the Kivalliq School Operations executive director and a superintendent of schools are in Naujaat on an already planned school visit. The school was closed Monday afternoon for a planned staff meeting and workshop. Kivalliq School Operations staff are now addressing the incidents that occurred as part of these staff meetings.”
“Any violent incidents involving students in schools is addressed using each DEA’s Inuuqatigiitsiarniq policy, and my department works with schools to create and maintain positive school environments.
“To protect the privacy of those involved, the department cannot speak to the details of these or other incidents.”
The Nunavut Teachers’ Association “has not [been] made aware by the Department of Education, school(s) in Naujaat or any teacher about any violent incidents in Naujaat last week,” John Fanjoy, the NTA president told Nunatsiaq News in a March 2 email.
“The NTA believes that violence in our schools is increasing, and is not acceptable,” he said. “More needs to be done to support positive learning environments in our schools for students, and safer working conditions for our teachers. ”
Fanjoy said the NTA is currently working with the Education Department to develop a unified reporting mechanism for violent incidents that is detailed and will provide real data on what circumstances students and teachers are facing in Nunavut schools.
wow, there is no place for any religion in public schools.
This is religious extremism at its best if not outright terrorism. I should be allowed to be an atheist without fear of reprisal from violent Christians.
Religion is the final piece of brainwashing left over by colonization. In order to heal from colonization, organized religion needs to be removed from indigenous lives.
Or let people choose for themselves instead of deciding what is collectively good for indigenous lives.
No matter what, it’s always blamed on colonization or residential school. When will people take responsibility for their lives? It not what happens to us in life, what matters is how we react and handle it. Remove religious cult from your life, don’t wait for someone to do it. Start teaching that There’s no such thing as God, do that for your kids, and stop believing the other foolishness someone tells you. or are you looking for something else to be gullible about , so you can continue being traumatized into another generation? Live , don’t just exist.
That’s easy for you to say, this shows us that you really do not have a grasp or knowledge in the effects that colonization and residential schools have done to indigenous people.
Comments like yours try to diminish what happened and the effects it has today by pretty much saying to get over it.
Very insulting and frustrating to read when you think people have at least a bit of knowledge about the results of colonization and residential schools have done to a people and society.
We are still living with this today, how can we move on! A start would be with equality better yet equity. Understanding from individuals like yourself instead of ignorance.
Hum. What you going to do? Continue to live until you died with being trapped in that trauma? It’s diff, but you must want to get better. No one is going to do it for you. My advisor you is to make it stop right now. Don’t allow it to be the destiny of the rest of your life. I know it can be done, because I done it.
Schools should be more strict, today youth get away with so much compared to how it used to be, youth keep pushing the boundaries and keep getting away with things then it gets even more, worse.
Also there is no place for religion in schools, these communities get brain washed by extreme southern Christianity they think doing something like this is ok, when it’s not! There are so many different religions out there what makes one better then the other! Because you were raised on one religion and not the other so you assume one is the better.
I hope this student is suspended for the remainder of the school year and charged with assault.
Better call the MLA rep to tell him about this.
Actually on second thought…
A lot of these extreme Christian religions have made themselves at home in some of our communities. The government should be keeping tabs on outside groups who take advantage of people in need.
One thing that puzzles me in regards to religion in schools is, if religion has no place in schools, why then would school boards allow atheism be taught in schools? One thing for certain, youth are being allowed to get away with an acceptable behavior far too often, not just in schools but public places as well. Too many parents are too busy feeding their own unhealthy habits rather than parenting, that simple. Sure you can argue truth is go visiting in evening, guaranteed you’ll end up in gambling of some sort any given night.
Who said anyone was teaching atheism? Without any more information, what the teacher is alleged to have said is simply stating their non-belief. Without knowing how the conversation came up, you can’t say whether it was an appropriate discussion or not.
Religion has no place in schools, just look at what this christian did in the name of religion!
Most wars and conflicts start with my religion is better then your religion and so on.
Never ending conflict and what this kid did was not right at all even if its in the name of his religion. Wrong is wrong can’t make what he did as right even if the teacher was talking about atheism.
There was a christian extremist in Iqaluit last fall preaching his crazy version of religion, these are the types to keep out and keep away and not take advantage of people that are already struggling.
You’re 100% right.
The article says it was in response to student questioning.
If a child asks you a question you should answer them honestly otherwise you’re a hypocrite. The teacher’s honest answer about his beliefs was absolutely NOT “teaching atheism”. We shouldn’t need to fear reprisals from violent Christians; this isn’t Congo.
Having also been assaulted as a teacher in a Nunavut school I’m not surprised that;
a) NTA was not made aware, as although there is a rep in every school neither they nor the organization appear to understand that their role is to protect teachers rights, and
b) the victims are being blamed..
These two factors are among the issues that significantly affect teacher retention.
I sincerely hope these two teachers are supported following these traumatic events, and that the students get counseling in anger management.
The NTA did not say they were unaware of the attack. They said the Department of Education did not inform them about it.
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And why am I not using my name? Because everyone connected to government is muzzled. But the tax-dollar supported religions (in Nunavut and elsewhere) are free to teach hate and violence.
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It’s time for free speech in Nunavut.
NTA reps in schools need to be trained to support teachers in their schools, that the position is just not to attend a yearly meeting The fact that NTA was not immediately advised of the first assault is indicative of the lack of communication between members in communities and executive sitting in Iqaluit.
In Ontario, someone from provincial executive would have travelled to the community immediately, and a meeting with the Education Director would not be happening without appropriate union representation.
Ironically, the story coming out of Arviat today re a teacher loosing his license to teach, is support enough for the NTA to be more on the ground when it comes to issues affecting teachers.
I would implore teachers to demand that their union begin to support them, given the very high dues that are paid, and not just provide lip service via the formation of yet another useless committee creating yet another uninformed and unenforceable policy
The teacher that was stripped of his teaching certificate wasn’t out of Arviat but, Aqsarniit middle school in Iqaluit
The sources close to the school, who are not authorized to speak to media, say the letter appears to blame teachers for the recent violence.
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I have no doubt that’s true!!!
Same way it is always the girlfriend’s fault, when her man beats her up.
It’s the child’s fault when Dad beats him up.
I bet those teachers really had it coming!!! We really need an eye rolling emoji here.
I actually think that Comparative Religion should be taught in public schools. Start with Animism and how it developed into the Shamanistic religions. Bring in ancient Chinese, Greek, and Roman religions and compare them to each other and previous belief systems, heck throw in the silly Ancient Astronaut theory as well. Then move on to the religions of today, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the three related monotheistic major religions of Judaism, Islam (Shia & Sunni), and Christianity.
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Add in how people learn about religion, which really means for most people being indoctrinated since infancy by their parents, relatives, and peers. If all of your authority figures tell you since before you can talk or walk that you should believe in something that you can’t see or touch, and if this is reinforced daily and most often weekly (with a lot of ceremony – therefore it must be important), is it no wonder that most people mirror the beliefs of their parents? It would probably be good to throw in a little lesson on cults as well.
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Schools may wish to contrast religious beliefs, and every religion does come down at it’s core to blind belief, to what has moved modern society forward at such a rapid pace – the Scientific Method. Apply this to any religion and see what happens.
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As for the incident in the article, the whole community should be ashamed.
Ahem!… men to that.
Madd Trapper I agree with you on all the points you made.
I hope the KSO will be supporting the teachers, rather than blaming them or whitewashing the incident. I know how these things sometimes go.
I hope the RCMP are involved. Assault charges seem appropriate. I also hope the perpetrators get the help they need to deal with whatever pain and anger they are dealing with.
I hope the teachers receive the support they need to come to terms with such frightening and violent incidents.
Totally agree with Old Trapper here, I was shaking my head at all the comments above saying religion has no place in schools. The indoctrination of religion and religious ceremonies or prayer have no place in schools, but education about religion should be in schools.
If your are going to teach about religion in schools then teach about all the religions not just Christianity, the problem is there are so many types of religion and very few teachers that know about them.
So much energy and effort would be placed to teach about religion, wouldn’t this take away from other subjects?
Considering little information has been shared about the situation – it saddens me that this comment feed is so full of ugly assumptions and silly comments. I did a student teaching placement in Naujaat – and thus taught and lived there for 5 weeks – and ended up teaching elsewhere in the Kivalliq. Like many communities there are social issues related to residential schools as well as those common to all remote communities where poverty creates difficult living conditions for many individuals. That said my memories of Naujaat and its people are very fond and I never once felt unsafe in that community.
Problem 1: At least 1 serious assault has taken place in a school and at least 2 incidents in a week where an employee of the school was attacked. This is a workplace safety issue that needs to be addressed. If a student who has a history of violence is attending the school, staff should be trained on how to respond to this type of incident and warned when students have a history of harming other students or teachers in school.
Problem 2: We now have an entire school of staff and students who have to process these events and find a way forward because the majority of students in that school were not involved or responsible for the incident. I’m sure that is a tough place to be for everyone – and I’m sorry that the first time I saw a picture of the beautiful new school is in this context.
My heartfelt support to everyone directly involved, especially those who were attacked and/or harmed as well as to the students and community. May you heal together and build positive relationship and get back to the joy of learning.
Has the RCMP been called in to investigate? Mental health? Social Services? No disrespect to the Department officials but the end result will be whitewashing these incidents unless RCMP is involved and charges are laid. Assault is serious stuff !!!!!!!!! We all deserve to work in a violence-free environment.
Knowing the place and its people and how it became. That’s how they were taught . It’s so easy to come in and teach them then say sorry it wasn’t true .
The teachers was responding to a question, not proselytizing. Not all outsiders have the same opinions on things, especially religion. They don’t speak as one voice anymore than Inuit do.
Umm.. excuse me not all Inuit agree on everything. Do not speak for us, thank you very much.
I think that if you had read my comment, rather than reacting to it, you would see that that was exactly my point. *face palm*
That’s literally exactly what they said. Reread their comment… thank you very much.
I wouldn’t make a good teacher, would be so defensively against those. Be kicked out right way. But if I was the teacher I would be fired too right away, for reacting to this, would show an example and frighten the crap out of that situation.
Thank you Old Trapper for another great comment!
Many other commentators unfortunately are more concerned about that religion has been discussed and that religion should not have been taught in schools.
Religion or not, the article is about assault. Students assaulting teachers must have a zero tolerance, for whatever reasons. There is no such thing like respect in our youth and I’m surprised that Southern teachers are actually still willing to work in the schools. I agree that bad apples can be found on both sides, but there were several other incidents where teachers and principals were beaten by students. Parents, where are you?
I was told the executive director of Kivalliq will always throw the teacher under the bus.
Makes me wonder what this kid has been taught about Christianity at a young age and then attack someone because of their belief of his religion. Something not right and the church he goes to should be looked at.
The incident is very sad, where a student should be educated by the right teacher to be a useful person in the future, but it would be nice things that are sensitive for example about religion need not be published too openly because everyone’s reaction will be different. Maybe it needs to be examined further about students who perpetrate the violence, because the factors do not only come from internal course, many other factors that cause students to be hard, and not obedient. Below is a link to an article about a study of the causes of violence that occurs in schools written by one of my campus colleagues at Airlangga University, Indonesia
http://news.unair.ac.id/en/2019/11/21/unair-scientists-study-causes-of-student-violence-at-school/
Thank you so much
I think this is just terrible, but it does show us a problem with today’s schools. The people we hire to do the job are off on leave and substitutes who are not trained, are trying to do the jobs that they are not educated for.
Would you let a person off the street be a sub doctor just because they are alive and speak the language,.
We need better educated substitutes for our students.
This has nothing to do with substitute teachers, the teacher who got fought is actually a certified teacher.
Communities need parenting classes, support!
Now a days they let they’re children get away with anything and no one disciplines because they have no idea how. There needs to be more boundaries set up in they’re homes that’s where it starts!
Dont fill your kids with hate!
The government does have some neglectfulness, ignorance along with cfs/rcmp due to them not paying enough attention to kids going thru hard times due to bad addicted parents, it’s not their fault plus do something about it when the other parent wants to divorce and take good care of the child!
The mother sometimes is more toxic!
The GNWT, a similar jurisdiction, has developed a Safe Schools Plan, and anti-bullying provisions in their education legislation, that reflects the realities of the communities. They took leadership and adopted legislative and policy measures to address bullying, without encroaching upon the jurisdictions of their local DEAs, which are tasked with preventative and positive ways to incorporate healthier behaviours. Our government only suggests tracking individual cases, to analyse trends. Pfft, that’s GN for you. By the way, there is probably more to this than meets the eye. Some months ago, there was a school official that literally held the gym doors closed to prevent people from coming in and out at a school event. Overzealous power-trippers breed resentment and ripple effects of adversarial and combative behaviours. Prevent power trippers and bullying teachers from being hired, the less it’ll breed counter-violence.
Two sides to every story.
The teacher that was assaulted, was the topic of religions approved by DEA as a curriculum? Did he spoke to his principal on how not to manipulate students about their belief? Southern teachers are very good with their words. Students may speak broken language but what that student did is not acceptable. Violence will never be the answer to solve ignorance, bullying, belittling, etc
Politics and religion. As always best to keep your opinions to yourself. I have always thought it best that teachers not share any personal information about themselves with students. Never a good idea that the kids know too much about you. In some communities religion has been tainted by the evangelical crazies and if someone is already unbalanced they can go off the deep end like this kid did the moment someone states an opinion different from the one that has been pumped into their heads.
It’s time that schools start teaching the truth anyway, god don’t exist. I mean show the students a movie or a documentary on residential school religious abusers. I can image the silly self centered narrow minded bigots. Like the belcher islands in 1940s.
In the north we have religious priest and ministers believing in ghost. They even do an expelling of the devil for anyone possessed. Religious ideology is for the most part is a terrible lie. But, even thou, most people can navigate the course without major issues. In the northern communities, it’s takes a sad type of seriousness, not as bad a the Middle East with wars , but still not good. In the north, in small communities, it’s becomes the cure for all, even major crime can show its face second and third times, due to religious forgiveness in an unhealthy way. Everything is interpreted so literally. It’s either God made me do it , or the devil was inside me. There’s a sickness involved.
I’ll have to disagree with you on this, Crystal. Not talking about these important issues ensures misunderstanding and ignorance, enhancing the possibilities for violence, not diffusing them.
The victim blaming is picking up momentum this morning I see. You can see in these attitudes the reasons why teachers are not supported and are thrown under the bus and blamed here. These comments are a shame on Nunavut.
Do the student know he did sin, when the teacher was attacked? If the teacher would have fought back, in self defence, surely the trauma experienced by the student would last the next hundred years via generational trauma past down. That’s how sensitive people are in the region. I see the karma in this coming to the student. That student will probably waste away in the community anyway, without an education. I say to teachers don’t put up with attackers, defend yourself if you can.
Religion causes more wars and fights than anything else on earth. In the name of god or Jesus is very dangerous. I wonder if the religious cults calls this attack justified? I’m thinking many would say it’s justified in the name of Jesus. With all the social problems in our northern communities. You would think, if religion was any good, it would soothe our ills. What you do have, in theses religious thinkers is a funny way of looking at the world and life. Many believe you can sin 6 days a week, and be forgiven on Sunday when you go to church. That’s one scary philosophy. Praying and singing all you want, all you have to do, yes! All you have to do, in anyone’s name is to be a good person. I’m sure everyone has a feeling what it takes to be simply a good person. Now that’s a true religion without war. God s not great, and doesn’t exist.
And the worse of them the evangelical church has a strong foot hold in most of the communities and preaching their version of church and these are dangerous.
They act perfect and innocent then turn into something else at a later time.
As long as they go back to their church on Sundays whatever they did during the week is ok.
Communities in Northern Canada should cherish the teachers that come in to teach. Teachers don’t have to go there, many choices for the educated teacher elsewhere. We get a few teachers that are not really good, but most teachers going to the north are good people. If all the teachers in that community withdraw from the jobs and go south, surely their position won’t be filled from within.
High educated people has many faces. Nunavut Government need to hire someone who will interview the future school teachers. They should make sure the teacher believe in God. The student I think has seen too many movies about the Muslim’s who does not believe Jesus and God. Maybe, he is schizophrenic. He needs help, be check for any mental health. Something is wrong with that student. Make sure RCMP is involved. Charged him. We do not need a teacher who do not believe God either.
When hiring, it is illegal to discriminate against someone based on their religious beliefs, or lack thereof.
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Interestingly, there’s a direct correlation between education levels and lack of belief. So, while not impossible by any means, you are less likely to find a person who believes in god among the more educated section of our society. Less educated people, by contrast, are more prone to belief in god. Let’s ask ourselves, why do you think that is?
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One more thing, atheism is currently outgrowing Christianity as the basis for ‘belief’ in western. That to me is great news. As our society continues to increase in complexity it desperately needs to outgrow its preference for magical thinking.
The “less educated people” are well read. The sad thing is they only ever read the bible. That being said it doesn’t seem likely that atheism will outgrow the monotheistic view. Speaking out against organized religion is not unthinkable but invites scorn from the general public. That’s why most of us posters are not using our christian names.
It depends where in the world you take your measurements. Outside the Western world Islam is growing, but within the West non-belief is outpacing Christianity and Monotheism more generally. All of this correlates to education levels and intellectual freedom. Which says a lot, don’t you think?
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That said, we need to understand the role and function of religion in people’s lives. It seems obvious that this is about meaning. In that sense we will probably always have either religion, or something that looks nearly identical to it in the form of ideology.
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If you’re interested in some bright insight and ideas into the future of religion Google ‘Yuval Noah Harari, techno religions and Silicon Prophets ‘
I don’t agree that religion is for the less educated. There are plenty of well educated people who believe in God. After all, our Country / North America was build on the belief in God.
You’re right about one thing though – atheism is currently outgrowing Christianity … and, society is falling apart. Hmmmm… wonder why that could be…
It’s not that religion is for the less educated, the point is it’s statistically true that lower education levels correlate to religious belief. That is an empirical statement. The more interesting question is why?
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When you say the world is falling apart and that this correlates to non-belief you are also making an empirical statement, though I would argue that this is not actually true. I’d be happy to see your evidence though!
It’s been a week since the first assault and still no official account of what happened at prison camp Naujaat.
Non Violent Crisis Intervention training is mandated in most other provinces for Public School Teachers (particularly administrators, special education teachers, etc) – knowing how to de-escalate students before they are in the “red zone” would be beneficial training for all individuals who are teaching students these days across the country. Violence against teachers, against peers, etc is on the rise. It is also important that Departments Of Education across the country work with health and social services departments in order to determine what services are needed outside of school BEFORE students enter a classroom. Students with severe trauma and mental health issues will never be able to be successful in school if they do not receive the appropriate support at home, in the community, and with health services. This is not an crisis in education, this is a crisis in society – and it isn’t just in the North (I taught in Nunavik for 5 years before moving to Nova Scotia) – violence is a crisis in all schools. It truly takes a village to raise a child, but we cannot expect a village that is suffering to raise a healthy child. I hope the teachers, students, and school community at large are able to eventually work together to feel safe, secure, and successful. All the best to everyone.
I like all of the comments. Freedom of speech reigns supreme, however I have never seen so many spelling errors and grammar mistakes in my life. Maybe this is indicative of the education system in Nunavut.
I hear ya brother… including the error in your message which should read grammatical mistakes as opposed to grammar mistakes.
And “Grammer guy” is concerned about grammar. Too funny.
What a lot of nonsense in these comments. This is about criminal assault, not religion. My advice to the teachers of Nunavut: if you are assaulted, call the RCMP. You have a right to be protected and you don’t need anyone’s permission to report a criminal act to the police. This is a matter for the police and the criminal courts, not the education authorities.
Assault is the intentional infliction of force on another person. A person who is assaulted is empowered by the Criminal Code to use reasonable force to protect themselves or another person from assault. The schools of Nunavut are not safe zones for anyone who thinks it’s ok to use teachers or anyone else as punching bags.
I practice criminal defence law. I have travelled to every community in Nunavut to represent clients in criminal court and I believe the majority of Nunavummiut support their teachers. If one of my clients were to assault me, something that has never happened, I would not hesitate to make a criminal complaint and to follow through with the prosecution.
Most of us, wherever our lives have taken us, owe at least a measure of our successes to wonderful teachers we’ve had. Nunavut teachers deserve far better than this.
and why does this website spellcheck “Nunavummiut”?
Sorry you find the commentary here to be filled with nonsense (some surely is). But it would be a mistake to ignore the role and dynamic that extreme religious conviction plays in this. It’s good we are having this kind of public discussion. Its unfortunate that these circumstances were needed to make it happen. So the world is I suppose.
The students should definitely be charged. I know some DEA’s, principals, superintendents and executive directors would try to convince teachers not to but it is not their choice. It is the teacher’s choice and the determination of the RCMP to lay charges if a crime has committed and in these cases crimes have definitely been committed.