The organizations in the Dehcho at the centre of multiple investigations launched by the N.W.T. education minister say they welcome the scrutiny.
The investigations, announced a week ago, are into both the Dehcho Divisional Education Council and all District Education Authorities (DEAs) in the region.
They’re wide-ranging, from finances to human resources to personnel matters and governance. According to a June 20 news release from the government, one investigation into finances appears to have already started, while another — which is an independent review looking at governance — begins in July and is expected to wrap up at the end of August and include findings and next steps.
Minister Caitlin Cleveland declined an interview request after announcing the investigations last week.
Derek Squirrel, vice-chair of the DEA in Fort Simpson, says he is glad the government is looking into issues parents are facing.
“I think it’s a long time coming for this,” Squirrel said.
“Once we met with the minister and she mentioned that she was going to do an investigation, we made a recommendation that is that it needs to happen sooner than later, because time is already ticking.”
Squirrel says he isn’t concerned that the Fort Simpson DEA is being investigated.
“There wouldn’t be anything to find,” he said, adding the DEA follows the Education Act and its policies.
“All the decisions that we make at a board level are not taken lightly… we welcome the investigation, we think that this is needed, we wish it came sooner.”
‘Priority is children and young people’
CBC News contacted Donna Miller Fry, the superintendent of the Dehcho Divisional Education Council (DDEC), about the investigations into the school board and DEAs.
Miller Fry responded in an email that she also welcomes the education department’s investigation and that her organization will do whatever they can to support that work.
The board’s “priority is children and young people, and ensuring they are learning and thriving in our schools,” she wrote.
“That happens best when the system of governance is also thriving and working as it should.”
The announcement of the investigations came weeks after parents in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., met with Cleveland to bring forward issues they had with the local elementary school principal.
In the meeting, Fort Simpson DEA members also outlined how their concerns had been raised with Miller Fry, and alleged that she hadn’t dealt with them.
Miller Fry has told CBC News that she couldn’t speak about that principal due to confidentiality.
The education department has not tied the investigations to any conflict or concerns about the principal. Rather, the news release last week refers to “serious concerns from parents, educators, community members, and education partners in the Dehcho.”
The DDEC is headquartered in Fort Simpson and is guided by trustees from that community as well as from Kakisa, Jean Marie River, Sambaa K’e, Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley and Fort Providence.
