Gonzaga middle school critics voice concerns at meeting

Opponents of Gonzaga Middle School had a chance to lay out their concerns at a special board meeting with the Winnipeg School Division Monday night.

Gonzaga's founders, which include Mark Chipman, chairman of the Winnipeg Jets, have said the $3-million school of about 60 students, set to open in the fall, is designed to help break the cycle of poverty in the inner-city through education.

Larry Morrissette and James Favel disagree.

Favel, a community activist in the North End, started by saying his initial understanding about the proposed school was that it was meant to help support low-income students.

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"That in and of itself seemed innocuous," Favel said.

"Everything changed when I learned the target demographic was aboriginal children. Immediately the alarm bells started ringing, and then the phone started ringing and the emails started coming in."

Favel said he spent weeks learning what he could about the school proposal and passed details on to others in the North End who wanted more information.

"It so closely resembles the same kind of ideology that went into the residential school system," he said. "It's very hard for our community to get behind something like that."

Favel asked proponents of the school at the meeting to reconsider backing the plan.

Morrissette, co-founder of the Children of the Earth High School, which focuses on indigenous identity and culture,  said that the spirit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations do not align with the creation of the Catholic school.

He and Favel both say the WSD should somehow interfere and stop plans for the school from moving forward.

But Mike Babinsky, a trustee with the school division, noted plans for a private school fall beyond the power and purview of the public system.

Meanwhile Lisa Naylor, another school board trustee, said while she too doesn't know how the division could get involved, she supports Favel, Morrissette and their concerns.

"I do feel very protective to those future 60 students," Naylor said, adding she hopes any indigenous students that end up at the school receive a "culturally relevant" education.

"I hope that's not taken away from them."​

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Residential school survivor Vivian Ketchum attended the meeting to support Favel and his message.

"I remember the isolation of being in that [school], of being taught another culture," she said. "I didn't see anything of my culture at all."

Ketchum said she worries the school will be "run by outsiders."

"I want my children, my grandchildren to learn our culture, our ways," she said. "How can that be taught by non native people?"

Favel said while he knows it's a private school, he hopes the WSD can step in to help stop the project.

"We're hoping they can somehow interfere with the process or convince them to reconsider," said Favel 

Mark Wasyliw, chair of the WSD board of trustees, said the board will not vote on the future of the school, but will continue to take the public's concerns as information.

Wasyliw has said in the past that he worries the private school could divide the inner-city community. He also said he'd like to see private donations invested in Winnipeg public schools rather than create an independent school.

Morrissette said he's concerned about the impact a Catholic school will have on the indigenous community in Winnipeg. He worries kids may be pressured to adopt the Catholic religion.

Gonzaga school principal Tom Lussier said while the school is Catholic, it will accept children of all races and faiths. He also said aboriginal studies will be part of the curriculum.