Aboriginal school division proposed for Manitoba

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There is a new sense of urgency in Bill Sanderson's voice when he talks about the necessity for a provincial Aboriginal school division in Winnipeg.

"We've got a whole new generation of kids that are going to be lost if we don't get this school division up and running by this fall."

Sanderson, who is one of only two Aboriginal school trustees in Winnipeg, was behind the formation of the city's Aboriginal high school four years ago. Thunder Eagle Society was a group of 13 Aboriginal representatives from a variety of professions that negotiated with the Winnipeg School Division for the high school, as well as for changes to the curriculum to reflect Native history and culture.

But the high school, and the Aboriginal elementary school, Niji Mahkwa, that underwent its name change two years ago amid great controversy, can only accept 500 students a year. That leaves the other 12,000 Aboriginal students stuck in a school system that is not meeting their needs, says Sanderson.

A committee has been struck to study the formation of the division, and members plan to meet with provincial education officials in several weeks time.

The proposed division would be not only for the city itself but would be a provincial division, with the opportunity for First Nations communities to participate. Anyone would have the option of going to school in the division, says Sanderson.

"This school division would involve different community areas, different catchment areas and non-catchment areas that choose to belong to this school division will have the option to do so. It will be the people's decision," says Sanderson.

The urgency surrounding the date for its inception has also been prompted in large part by a recent Manitoba School Division Boundaries Commission report that has suggested breaking up the Winnipeg School Division into four small divisions. This would effectively weaken the power of the inner city and calls for an Aboriginal School Division.

"Aboriginal education is gaining a tremendous amount of strength, minority groups are gaining a lot of momentum. What is the best way to weaken them? Divide and conquer," explains Sanderson.

Another obstacle in the way of organizers is recent staff cutbacks in the division, which has hit Children of the Earth and Niji Mahkwa especially hard. The Winnipeg Teacher's Union policy of "last hired, first fired" will hit the newly hired staff at the two schools especially hard; some 13 layoffs are expected. The Winnipeg Aboriginal community is protesting loudly against the layoffs, and hoping that retirement and attrition will eliminate the need for most of them.

With no Aboriginal representation within the teacher's union, it is not surprising that the Aboriginal schools are taking the brunt of the cuts, Sanderson says.

"It's clearly giving the message that the unions support the status quo. The other message is the Aboriginal community is recognizing this and they're taking action. The timing is right as well, there are 13,000 students in Winnipeg #1. That would mean 36 schools in that one school division that are populated by Aboriginal students.