A Prince George-area First Nation says it should have representation on the local school board.
Lheidli T’enneh Chief Clay Pountney says about a third of District 57’s students have Indigenous ancestry and the only way to ensure they are supported is to have a Lheidli T’enneh member on the board.
Pountney says the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action deal with increasing content about Residential Schools, Indigenous history, and more support for teachers to share that knowledge.
He also notes that Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states that indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their own education systems and institutions.
Pountney says having an Indigenous school board member could offer a province-wide solution to ensure Indigenous students are supported.
He says the Lheidli T’enneh are ready to work with the school district and provincial government to make it happen.
