Nervous parents greeted by locked door, guards at site of school assault By: Scott Billeck Posted: 6:26 PM CST Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 Last Modified: 8:08 PM CST Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 Updates

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A parent of children who attend Darwin School wants to know why stronger safety measures weren’t in place prior to a man being arrested for assaulting a young student inside the building.

The mother, who asked not to be identified to protect her children’s identities, said she was even more alarmed to learn the incident was not the first of its kind involving the accused. A school board official confirmed Monday the man was found in the halls of Dakota Collegiate in March, just a few blocks from the elementary school.

“My biggest concern was that this wasn’t the first time that it happened,” she said Monday. “So this all seems kind of reactive versus proactive.”

Earlier Monday, the province announced more than $500,000 in funding for the Manitoba School Boards Association to review and strengthen safety protocols across all school divisions, including the expansion of controlled access to buildings.

Scott William George, 28, has been charged with assault, forcible confinement and two counts of failing to comply with a prohibition involving children after he entered the St. Vital school on Thursday, hid in a bathroom and ambushed a child under 12 years old, grabbing her before she was able to escape and run for help.

George, who is prohibited under court order from being in contact with children or being in locations they could reasonably be expected to be, breached those conditions in March, records show.

Despite her concerns, the parent said Darwin staff have been “phenomenal,” praising principal Erin Enns for her leadership.

“I was in the school on Thursday afternoon for parent/teacher conferences, and staff were visibly shaken but were doing the best they could,” she said.

“My biggest concern was that this wasn’t the first time that it happened.”

Jomana, a mother of three at the school, said Enns has gone above and beyond to reassure families since Thursday’s events.

“She’s very good, doing everything she can, taking care of everything,” she said, adding that Thursday was “so scary.”

At the Manitoba School Boards Association announcement earlier in the day, Premier Wab Kinew said schools in the province are safe.

“Kids, you are safe at school,” he said. “Parents, it is safe to send your kids to school. To school staff and teachers, we are going to protect you as well. We do this because every child matters.”

Liza, whose daughter attends Darwin, said guards were stationed at every entrance when she arrived Monday morning. She didn’t know how long the added security would be in place, but said it provided welcome reassurance.

“I only wish they had told us about the incident sooner,” she said, noting that several hours had passed before the school emailed parents. She learned what had happened from her daughter.

“They said they couldn’t say anything right away.”

Other parents said the school’s front door — previously the only unlocked entrance during the day — was locked Monday, and late students’ families had to call the office to be let inside.

George’s criminal record dates back to 2015, and he has been a registered sex offender since pleading guilty to sexual interference in a July 2022 incident at the Scotiabank Theatre at CF Polo Park, where he admitted to grabbing a six-year-old girl’s buttocks. He was sentenced to two years in custody.

Police confirmed Monday that no community notification was issued upon George’s release. His name does not show up on the province’s sex offender notification list.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca