Saskatchewan’s education minister is apologizing for discussing her son’s homework in the legislative assembly.
Bronwyn Eyre referenced a Grade 8 assignment comparing Indigenous and European perceptions of land.
“He copied from the board the following facts which were presented as fact: that European and European settlers were colonialists, pillagers of the land who knew only buying and selling and didn’t respect Mother Earth,” Eyre said on Nov. 1.
In her throne speech remarks earlier this month, Eyre questioned whether subjects like Indigenous education may have become too infused into the classroom.
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“All I was saying there is that it was unfortunate is that that was taught as objective fact. That’s it. Whichever way it’s taught, perhaps it’s not particularly helpful in terms of wanting to make sure that we continue to build bridges,” Eyre said on Nov. 7.
After those comments were made, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation expressed concern.
There have even been calls for her resignation.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Chief Bobby Cameron said he had a constructive conversation with Eyre since her remarks.
“The comments she made, what she really meant was maybe we need to look at different avenues or different approaches of teaching treaty, because her stance was teaching treaty in the classroom has to continue,” Brown said last week.
Eyre said in a statement on Monday that she supports treaty education being taught in every school in Saskatchewan.
“Our government was the first in Canada to implement treaty education. I 100 per cent support treaty education taught in every school in Saskatchewan, and I want to build on that foundation,” Eyre said in her statement.
She apologized for discussing her son’s homework in a public forum and said she will not discuss her son in any educational context in the future.
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