Some Saskatchewan college students concerned about education ministry’s potential to react to problems

Former learners of Saskatoon’s Legacy Christian Academy are disputing specifics in a modern ombudsman report about the Ministry of Education’s capability to examine issues about registered unbiased schools.

The report from Saskatchewan’s ombudsman suggests the ministry is unprepared to look into grievances about registered unbiased schools, with no approach in spot to report, look into, and report complaints about the unbiased educational facilities it is dependable for.

“Given its regulatory purpose, the ministry should really anticipate receiving complaints related to unbiased educational facilities,” the report stated.

“Consequently, it is very important for the ministry to have a very well-established procedure in place to manage these problems in a detailed, well timed, neutral, and fair method.”

Mark Drapak, a previous college student connected to a $25 million course action lawsuit towards staff members at the Legacy Christian Academy and the affiliated Mile Two Church — which prompted the ombudsman investigation — states the timeline laid out in the report isn’t going to line up.

“It was virtually a shock to actually see the authorities accept and admit that it failed to have a method,” Drapak said.

In November, Education Minister Dustin Duncan reported the ministry was only manufactured informed of difficulties at Legacy Christian Academy on Aug. 9, when the lawsuit was filed.

However, Drapak reported a previous trainer at Grace Christian Faculty, which has since been shuttered by the ministry, filed complaints in 2016 and 2018, and he was told they ended up investigated carefully by each the ministry and Saskatoon law enforcement.

“Now we recognized that they have hardly ever had an investigation approach or recommendations or a plan to operate with,” he reported.

Previous college student Caitlin Erickson even further details to a letter from Duncan dated Aug. 4, which contradicts Duncan’s Aug. 9 claim that’s also stated in the report.

“He signed it acknowledging that I emailed him about law enforcement problems, and telling me how courageous I am as a target for coming ahead and other pupils. So he definitely did know about that,” Erickson explained.

In a statement to CTV Information, the Ministry of Training said it “welcomes the prospect to perform in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Ombudsman in employing and improving upon processes that market the effectively-becoming of all Saskatchewan college students and assure their appropriate to secure educational institutions and excellent education.”

Erickson has tiny self esteem for any development or implementation at this point.

“There is a pattern there that they are not documenting items, and I you should not know if it’s just willful ignorance or if it is really just inept at their work,” she reported. “I am not positive which just one it is, but it really is dangerous to all the people that this influences.”

The ministry declined to remark on particulars pointed out in the ombudsman report or how complaints from former Legacy college students were processed, expressing it wouldn’t comment due to the fact the Government of Saskatchewan is named in the lawsuit.

Opening arguments for the class action lawsuit occur Friday at Court docket of King’s Bench in Saskatoon.
