School security measures scrutinized after student attacked

Some Manitoba schools could soon get new security measures, including controlled entrances if not already equipped, after a Winnipeg student was grabbed by a registered sex offender last week.

The province has directed school divisions to submit their emergency response plans for review to identify gaps in response to Thursday’s assault in a washroom at Darwin School in St. Vital, Premier Wab Kinew and Education Minister Tracy Schmidt announced Monday.

“We’re encouraging schools to implement controlled access, if they haven’t already,” Kinew said. “It seems like funnelling everybody to one door, and then you make the decision whether there’s an intercom and a locked door there, it seems like that makes sense.

“I think kids get that. I think the rest of the community would be able to to get around that in the name of safety.”

Kinew and Schmidt sought to reassure children, parents, guardian and staff that Manitoba’s schools — which number nearly 700 — are safe after police said a man hid in a washroom and grabbed a girl.

She managed to break free and alert a teacher, leading to the suspect fleeing and the school going into a hold-and-secure situation.

“What happened at Darwin School last week should never happen,” Kinew said.

Schmidt said existing security measures vary across Manitoba, with some schools posting a supervisor or locking all doors except a main entrance that is near an office.

Some schools lock all their doors or use video camera-equipped intercom systems to monitor visitors at main doors. Schmidt is seeking a more universal approach.

She said Darwin School had a locked-door system, but it didn’t work.

Louis Riel School Division Supt. Christian Michalik said the suspect entered through a secondary door that was unlocked while staff checked to make sure all students were back inside after recess.

Less than five minutes expired between the suspect’s “interaction” with the student and his exit from the school, Michalik said.

“We’re encouraging schools to implement controlled access, if they haven’t already.”

“It is horrific that a child had to wrestle themselves away from a person they encountered in a washroom,” he said, while praising the response by the child and staff at the kindergarten to Grade 8 school.

All of the school’s doors are now to remain locked, with visitors required to go to the main doors and phone the office until a better system is in place, Michalik said.

Some Louis Riel division schools do not lock all their doors at all hours of the school day, he noted.

Michalik confirmed the suspect entered Dakota Collegiate in March. He said staff were unaware of the man’s identity and past offending at the time. The division is investigating whether the suspect entered additional schools.

Convicted sex offender Scott William George, 28, is charged with assault, forcible confinement and two counts of failing to comply with a prohibition regarding children in the Darwin School incident. He was arrested outside St. Vital Centre.

Kinew and Schmidt commended the girl, staff and a witness who helped police find the suspect.

“I’m just so impressed by your bravery and your courage, and I’m just very proud of your actions that day and since,” Schmidt, who’s spoken to the victim’s family, said of the student.

She said the family is struggling and in a state of disbelief.

Schmidt said “nothing is off the table” during the government’s review of divisions’ emergency plans, including the expansion of police officers, or school resource officers, in schools.

A school resource officer responded to a sword attack involving students at a Brandon high school in June.

School divisions have until Dec. 25 to submit their plans, including how schools will control access.

“Many schools in Manitoba are already doing this, and we’re going to step in and help those that might need a little bit extra support,” Schmidt said.

The Louis Riel School Division will submit its plan Tuesday morning. Michalik said controlled access must include measures to ensure children can easily regain access to a school building in an emergency.

“The events of Thursday could have been unfolding outside,” he said.

Schools must remain welcoming places for students, families and community, Michalik added.

Kinew said the province will be flexible and consult because what works for a school in Winnipeg might not work for one in a small community in rural or northern Manitoba.

The province is giving the Manitoba School Boards Association $500,000 for safety assessments and staff training (for matters such as risk identification) in all 37 divisions, and a forum intended to come up with system-wide improvements. The province is contracting a retired Winnipeg police officer to assist.

Kinew indicated additional funds will be available for security measures.

“I’m just so impressed by your bravery and your courage, and I’m just very proud of your actions that day and since.”

The association is looking forward to “digging into the details” of the announcement to ensure the funds are put to their best use, said president Alan Campbell, an Interlake School Division trustee.

The Opposition Tories criticized the NDP government’s education and justice policies when PC Leader Obby Khan and education critic Wayne Ewasko brought up the assault during question period Monday.

Ewasko accused the NDP of failing to take action sooner. Schmidt laid blame with the former PC government.

Afterward, Ewasko told reporters the NDP should have mandated controlled access, rather than encouraging divisions to implement policies.

“With today’s announcement, again as we’re seeing with this government, very reactionary as opposed to proactive stuff,” said Ewasko, a former education minister.

The government did not rule out mandating controlled access.

Ewasko said $500,000 isn’t enough to address Manitoba schools’ security needs.

George pleaded guilty to sexual interference in a July 2022 incident at the Scotiabank Theatre on St. James Street, where he groped a six-year-old girl. He was sentenced to two years in custody.

Thursday’s incident generated a discussion about whether the community should have been notified of George’s release.

“I think that’s pretty obvious,” Kinew said.

He said George should have been on a provincial website that lists current sex offender notifications.

A committee with representatives from Manitoba police services, public health and other agencies advises police about whether to alert communities about the release of high-risk sex offenders.

“In this instance, that (multi-organizational) process was followed and ultimately a community notification was not issued,” Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Claude Chancy wrote in an email. “The WPS is committed to working with our partners in prosecutions in order to maintain safe neighbourhoods for everyone.”

— with files from Scott Billeck and Carol Sanders

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca