VPD may help plan and supervise high school grads
Posted April 24, 2012 11:22 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Vancouver Police school liaison officers may end up helping supervise grad ceremonies now that some teachers are opting out of volunteering because of their ongoing labour battle with their employer.
Constable Lindsey Houghton says each high school in the city has a liaison officer who will help plan graduation and dry grad ceremonies with student groups.
“We will continue to liaise with the grad committees throughout the schools, reinforcing the messaging around safe and responsible graduation time,” he says. “We’ll certainly wait to see what happens. A lot of things can change between now and June.”
“Certainly if a student association or student body comes to us wanting assistance in helping plan a responsible and safe graduation ceremony, we would be happy participate,” explains Houghton.
He believes many parents will step up and help as well.
“I know that there are a lot of parent associations who have, for years, stepped up to help their students with these types of things. That might be where the gap gets filled this year.”
High school students have voiced their concerns about the potential for graduation ceremonies to be cancelled.
Last week, BC teachers voted in favour of what they call a “resistance strategy” against Bill 22. It means teachers will withdraw volunteering for extra-curricular activities like planning graduation and coaching sports teams.
However, some teachers have pledged to keep volunteering despite their union’s decision.
