From the Winnipeg Free Press–School coaches, teachers and other K-12 personnel will soon be required to complete new abuse prevention and recognition training, which covers topics ranging from power dynamics to their duty of care.
One month after a football coach at Winnipeg’s Vincent Massey Collegiate was arrested on initial charges related to former athletes’ allegations of sexual abuse, the province issued a directive to increase protections for students.
Education Minister Wayne Ewasko has told superintendents, and principals of funded independent schools, he expects them to review and update policies respecting professional boundaries between staff and students.
Documents should emphasize “the rule of two” for meetings outside of school and ban employees from hosting pupils in their homes unless they have written approval from a principal, Ewasko wrote in a letter dated May 11.
Manitoba will mandate all education workers to complete updated virtual training on how to prevent and recognize bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination between Sept. 1 and Feb. 28, 2023.