Parents asked to remain respectful 

Parents and guardians received a stern letter last week from the Kahnawake Education Center (KEC) reminding them there’s zero tolerance for aggressive behaviour at their schools.

The letter was sent on November 14 and comes as tensions have been mounting between parents and staff in recent weeks, director Falen Iakowennaiéwas Jacobs told The Eastern Door.

“I feel like we’re at the point where we have to say something and make a clear statement about it. We hope that parents will read it and understand that we do, of course, want to work together,” Jacobs said. 

She encouraged each member of the school community to keep in mind “our guiding principles as Kanien’kehá:ka people,” saying these types of behaviours are contrary to them.

Staff at the schools are ready to call on the authorities should an argument escalate to threats or physical violence, the letter warned. Parents or guardians could also be limited from accessing school premises should they fail to correct their behaviour after repeated warnings, it also noted.

“When it comes to people’s children, of course, we understand that they’re very passionate, but also we have to remind people that there are respectful ways to approach conflict, and we really want to just work together and have respectful conversations,” Jacobs said. 

Verbal abuse, including both direct and indirect threats, isn’t anything new for their staff, but there’s been a rise in incidents lately. Inappropriate comments aren’t only being directed at just their teachers, but other support staff and admin as well, she said. 

Jacobs said the letter wasn’t triggered by any one incident in particular, and said the issue isn’t specific to one school above another. Asked whether the Kahnawake Mohawk Peacekeepers had to be called in response to any recent events, she also said no.

If parents have any particular concerns they want to raise they should go to their children’s teacher or the associate principal at the school they attend, she said.

“We really encourage parents to come to the schools, bring your concerns to the administration, because nothing can get done with posts on social media,” Jacobs said.

“We really need to have those open means of communication. A lot of the time we find out things on social media that people weren’t aware of.”

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