North Vancouver School District apologizes after trustee’s residential school comments

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The North Vancouver School District is apologizing to students, staff, parents, and local First Nations after a trustee made comments that are being described as “unacceptable, highly inappropriate, and insensitive.”

The controversial statements were made during last week’s school board meeting by Trustee Cyndi Gerlach, when she suggested special needs students have been treated the same way Indigenous children were in residential schools.

Brad Baker, district principal who overseas the Indigenous education programs, says those comments diminish the experience of survivors as well as those who passed away.

“It basically makes it irrelevant what they went through,” Baker, who is a member of the Squamish Nation, told NEWS 1130.

Baker says initially he was shocked and “couldn’t believe what I had heard from an elected official.” The timing of what Gerlach said added to that reaction.

“Because of the ongoing education with the Indigenous school district around the importance and the relevance of Indian residential schools to our school district because we had a residential school in North Vancouver,” he explained.

In letters sent to the school community and local First Nations members, the district acknowledges the comments hurt people and they “are not representative of the collective Board of Education,” adding Gerlach regrets her words and will publicly apologize at the next meeting.

“On behalf of the Board of Education and the North Vancouver School District, I would like to offer my most sincere apology to not only members of the Skwxwú7mesh, Tsleil-Waututh, and Métis Nations but also, specifically, the Indigenous students, educators, and staff who contribute so much to our school district community. The Trustee is deeply remorseful for their choice of words and will offer a public apology at the June 22, 2021 Public Board Meeting,” Chair George Tsiakos said to the First Nations.

“As a school district, we are proud of the relationship we have developed with Indigenous rights holders and community members. We highly value and rely on this relationship as we continue on our journey of Truth and Reconciliation,” he added, noting to “champion truth, healing, and reconciliation,” the district will continue its work with the Indigenous Education Team.

While he believes the letters are a good start, Baker says more work needs to be done to build trust with the Indigenous community.

“To unpack this properly, I think to build trust with Indigenous staff, Indigenous kids and families, and Indigenous communities. I think it’s a starting point with a letter to the broader community, but there’s still a lot to unpack here,” he added.

Meetings are being planned between First Nations Leaders and the school district.

Gerlach did post a brief apology in a response to a tweet Tuesday night, writing “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone with my words and I apologize to anyone that I offended.”

Thank you – your words mean a lot. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone with my words and I apologize to anyone that I offended.

— Cyndi Gerlach (@CyndiGerlach) May 26, 2021

She tells the North Shore News she’s horrified at what she said, adding “I wish I could take the words back.”

“I’m extremely disappointed in myself for a poor choice of words and the hurt my words caused,” Gerlach told the outlet.