Following a Global News report on an alleged assault at a Kamloops elementary school, another parent is coming forward alleging their school and school district didn’t do enough when her child was assaulted by a classmate.
The mother, who asked not to be identified, said her daughter claims she was assaulted by a classmate in a Kamloops school, three weeks ago.
“She was in tears,” the mother said. “She said that she was tired of the harassment that she had been receiving, that we didn’t know it had been going on for months.
“She had been sexually harassed, including unwanted touching.”
WATCH: Kamloops mother furious over handling of alleged elementary school assault
She said school officials and the RCMP spoke to the boy at the centre of the allegations. The family has decided not to pursue charges but they’re unhappy with the school’s investigation and policy.
“When we asked about a sexual harassment policy, I was laughed at and I was told that there is no specific sexual harassment policy because it wasn’t needed.”
She is pushing for an updated sexual harassment policy, and improvements to how cases are investigated and how victims are treated.
“We don’t have specific policies in place for sexual harassment,” the mother said. “It’s very dismissive, it almost says it doesn’t exist.”
WATCH: Kamloops school assault allegations
They feel their experience in the aftermath of the alleged assault is alarmingly similar to what another family has gone through.
Earlier this week, a Kamloops mother told Global News her daughter suffered a criminal assault on Jan. 30 during recess.
According to that mother, a boy lured her daughter to a secluded place where three other boys were waiting. She said her daughter was struck, groped and kissed while restrained and suffered bruising.
School district officials cannot discuss the alleged assaults, but School District 73 superintendent Alison Sidow said, “Maybe it is time to take a closer look at our policy.”
“I want to see our schools safe for everyone and the vast majority of our students would say, ‘yes they are,’ but we need every student to feel that way, so let’s take action, let’s move forward.”
— With files from Geoff Hastings