Ottawa school board softens policy around police uniforms in classrooms

Ottawa’s English language public school board is softening its stance on whether police officers in uniform can address students in the classroom.

This comes after an officer was asked not to wear a uniform to speak to a Grade 1 class at Stittsville Public School. That officer also a parent at the school.

“If you read the motion where we cancelled the officer resource program, it doesn't speak to a parent coming in for a career day,” said Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) Trustee Donna Blackburn. “So I think it was a bit of a stretch and, in my opinion, a very embarrassing stretch which lost us a lot of public confidence.”

In response to the controversy, the education minister sent a memo ordering the school board to reverse the decision. In it, he writes, “my expectation that these parents, and others who proudly wear uniforms as part of their occupation, are to be welcomed,” adding “any parent of a student within a publicly funded school has the right to participate in their child’s education and school experience.”

Liz McNaught, a retired OCDSB teacher, says it shouldn’t have been an issue in the first place.

“To me, it’s foolhardy. I don’t see what’s wrong with wearing a uniform,” she said. “It’s important that kids view police officers as people they can go to if they’re in trouble.”

In statement, the school board says, moving forward, they will “review each request to assess the learning opportunity” and “consider it in the context of alignment with the board direction”.

Meanwhile, Blackburn says she is putting forth a motion calling on the OCDSB to return to a positive proactive relationship with the Ottawa Police Service. 

Blackburn's motion is coming to committee of the whole on June 13th, if approved it will go to the next board meeting.