Debates of May 28, 2004 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are some children in our schools today who, for a variety of reasons, have ongoing behaviour problems and just are not able to function and learn in a regular classroom environment. Unfortunately, in some cases, schools are dealing with this by suspending the students, often for long periods of time. The parents of the students are concerned about what kind of education their children will get if they are forced to be absent from school on a regular basis. Parents and teachers are also concerned about how distractions created by these students with behavioural problems are affecting the learning of others, and that’s very understandable. Mr. Speaker, suspensions might serve as a deterrent for students who cause occasional problems and in a very few cases, they might be appropriate as a last resort. However, when you have the same students being suspended over and over again, the system is failing. How many of these students are able to complete their Grade 12 and what happens to those who end up dropping out?

In Yellowknife and in the South, there are alternatives to mainstream education for students with behavioural difficulties so they can get the education and help they need to have a chance to becoming productive adults. There is a clear need for similar programs in Hay River and it’s something I hope we will see in the near future. Mr. Speaker, all children are entitled to an education and we are giving up on some of our students in Hay River and this cannot continue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause