Parents miffed by lack of communication about sex offender involved in school incident

Parents are concerned they weren’t warned a convicted sex offender, who is accused of grabbing a child in an elementary school last week, had been removed from a nearby high school that morning and in March, when he was arrested for breaching a court order.

Scott William George, 28, is charged with assault for allegedly grabbing a girl at Darwin School in St. Vital on Nov. 27. Police said he hid in a bathroom and grabbed the student when she came out of a stall. The child escaped and wasn’t hurt.

Louis Riel School Division superintendent Christian Michalik wrote a letter to parents on Thursday that said “we have uncovered that the individual arrested in connection with the Darwin School incident was escorted out of Dakota Collegiate earlier that same morning.

“At the time, we had no reason to believe this individual presented an imminent danger.”

The letter prompted some parents to question why they hadn’t been warned about the removal from the high school as well as the incident in March.

“It’s a search for accountability in a situation like this,” said one father, who didn’t want to be named. “When it happens, you want to find out what went wrong and how to prevent it.”

Court records show George was under a court order prohibiting him from being in contact with children or places where they might be when he breached those conditions in March at Dakota.

Michalik, in an email Friday, said Dakota’s principal documented the March incident and reported it to divisional leaders that morning.

“At no point did Winnipeg Police Service advise the school or the division that the individual was a convicted sex offender or subject to conditions restricting proximity to children,” Michalik said, which he also told one set of parents in a separate email obtained by the Free Press. “There was no follow-up communication from WPS after the arrest.”

On Friday, Winnipeg police disputed that.

“Police confirm that on March 18, (George) was arrested for being on school property in violation of a court order prohibiting access to children under the age of 16,” Const. Dani McKinnon said. “Administration was advised of the nature of the court order.”

Michalik insisted police did not advise staff the man was under restrictions until the Winnipeg police issued a release about last week’s incident. He also said Dakota staff did not recognize George as the same person involved in the March incident.

“In March, the individual presented as intoxicated, was openly consuming substances and behaving erratically, which prompted an immediate 911 call and police intervention,” Michalik said in a follow-up email.

On Nov. 27, “the individual did not present an immediate safety concern, so staff followed standard protocol by removing him from the premises. There was no indication last Thursday that he was subject to conditions or posed a heightened risk.”

McKinnon urged all schools to contact police when someone is on their property who should not be, and allow police to determine the level of threat.

The revelation that the accused was at a nearby high school both earlier on the morning of Nov. 27 and during a previous arrest in March has left parents at Darwin asking why they weren’t warned that a convicted sex offender had been spotted roaming a neighbouring school — months earlier, and again just hours before he walked into Darwin School.

The parents say Michalik told them Winnipeg police never informed the division that the man apprehended at Dakota Collegiate was a registered sex offender.

“It’s hard to understand as a parent and a member of the public, hearing that a convicted sex offender entered a high school and was arrested in March, and again that very morning, and the school and division are claiming they weren’t informed that this person was a sex offender,” the mother of two children at Darwin said Friday.

Added the father: “This individual’s actions indicated very clearly to all those aware of his history and his charges that he had no intention to follow orders to stay away from children, yet he was released back into community again with no warnings.”

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

In an email to Darwin School families Thursday evening, Michalik said the division has been providing supports, including clinicians for students, families and staff.

He said the school is committed to improving communication but in this case, had to balance timely updates with the police investigation.

“We needed to ensure that any communication sent to families was accurate and approved by law enforcement so as not to compromise the investigation,” the email said. “This process caused the delay in notifying families.”

Michalik wrote that the accused entered the school through an unlocked side door after recess. Since Monday, all exterior doors have remained locked, including during recess.

Next week, a video intercom system will be installed, visitor protocols are being strengthened, and staff are receiving additional emergency procedures and situational awareness training.

“…I can say that it’s a relief to see how seriously they’re taking things now,” the mother said.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca