A student was reportedly the target of racially motivated bullying and assault at Stonybrook Middle School in the Hanover School Division earlier this month. Melissa Johnson said that her son, who is from the Pimicikimak Cree Nation, was the target of racial slurs regarding his Indigenous identity and physically assaulted by other students. “He takes pride in his culture. He dances, he sings, he’s just really proud to be Indigenous,” said Johnson. Indigenous organization Mino Odewin has called for the school division to conduct a formal investigation, implement a comprehensive safety plan, and review supervision policies. HSD issued a statement asserting that violence, racism, and discrimination have no place in the schools and that “every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and supported at school.” The school board also stated that the incident is under investigation, including a review of its lunch-hour supervision practices.
