Pubdate: Wed, 20 Nov 2002
Source: Golden Star (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 The Golden Star
Contact:  http://www.bowesnet.com/goldenstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2144
Author: Ryan Kuhn

MLAS GET OPPOSING VIEWS OF STUDENT VIOLENCE, DRUG USE

McMahon Visits Golden Schools With Student Task Force Committee

The provincial Student Task Force, comprised of three Liberal MLA's, 
visited Golden last week to get a first-hand look at the anti-bullying and 
anti-violence programs at Golden Secondary School (GSS) and Lady Grey 
Elementary School, and to receive public input on the growing problem.

Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Wendy McMahon, along with Surrey-Green 
Timbers MLA Brenda Locke and Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt, toured 
the schools last Wednesday, (Nov. 13), and got a very good impression of 
the schools' programs. The Golden stop was one of 15 communities and 12 
schools the task force is visiting on their province-wide tour.

At GSS, the task force met with the leadership class to hear first-hand the 
students' perspectives on violence and drug use.

"Our feeling as a group is that it is very different (in Golden) than some 
of the other schools we've been to," said McMahon, who added that the 
schools "ROCKS" program is precisely the type of behaviour strategy that 
seems to be working in other schools. "They're working collaboratively with 
teachers and students to make sure there's a sense of community."

At Lady Grey, the task force met with staff to discuss violence in the 
school, and to discuss the success of their "SMART" program, similar to 
that of GSS' ROCKS.

"For schools that adopt something (such as ROCKS), they can really improve 
the situation," said Mayencourt. "It is a different program (than other 
schools) but it's the same principle. It includes safety, mutual respect 
and teamwork."

For Mayencourt, the key to the success of such anti-violence and anti-drug 
programs is buy-in by students, teachers and parents - something Golden 
seems to have remarkable success in.

However, the picture the MLA's got at a public hearing following their 
visits to the school is quite different, and alarming.

Terry Mobberly is the director of the Golden Family Centre, who was 
accompanied by several of his employees to the public hearing. He told the 
task force that the centre's integrated approach to addressing the 
multi-faceted aspects of drugs and violence among youth is very successful, 
but dwindling financial support is threatening their effectiveness.

Linda Elstrom operates the Family Centre's youth drop-in group. In addition 
to highlighting the group's success with youth at risk, she also told the 
task force that the picture they got at the schools and what is really 
happening are not the same.

"You would not believe the people who are doing (drugs)," said Elstrom, 
adding that heroin, crystal meth and cocaine are now prevalent among some 
students and their parents.

As for weapons, Elstrom said she has also heard from kids of some students 
carrying weapons such as knives to school on a regular basis. She 
emphasized that programs such as the Family Centre are so limited in 
resources that only a few people are working with these children, and that 
they can't get the job done.

Mobberly emphasized to the task force that something he calls "up-stream" 
prevention, or dealing with these issues at an early age, is the best way 
to help the situation, starting with the community and parents. Other 
preventative programs such as the "Roots of Empathy" highlighted by Family 
Centre worker Rhonda Smith, were demonstrated as useful preventative tools 
in early childhood education.

Mobberly urged the task force to view solutions to violence and drug use as 
holistic, and reinstate funding for all aspects of such social services, 
including child and youth mental health programs.

Mayencourt explained to the people at the open house that the solution is 
likely a multi-faceted one, and that their report to the legislature, due 
at the end of January, will likely cross the boundaries of different 
ministries, and that the Family Centre's concerns will be noted.

It is expected that the task force's report to legislature will be used in 
part to set policy and legislation in an effort to reduce violence and drug 
use in schools province-wide.
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MAP posted-by: Beth