The Saskatchewan NDP released reports from educational administrators that were assigned to Qualified Independent Schools in 2022.
The NDP got a hold of these reports after submitting a freedom of information request and highlighted some of the issues seen in the schools.
Independent schools in the province have been under the microscope since August 2022, when a class-action lawsuit was launched alleging that Mile Two Church Inc., which operates Legacy Christian Academy (LCA), located in Saskatoon, and a list of 21 named defendants, physically and sexually abused students. The province of Saskatchewan was added to the lawsuit later on.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Back in August, Minister of Education Dustin Duncan noted there were gaps in independent school regulations, and administrators were assigned to three independent schools: Grace Christian School, which was later shut down, Regent Academy, and Legacy Christian Academy.
Special Administrator’s Reports_Redacted pdf
David Derksen, who was appointed to watch over Grace Christian School, found records of teaching duties being assigned to non-teaching staff.
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The report between August 22 and Oct. 5, 2022, noted that the director wasn’t a teacher, and was inappropriately in charge of the instructional programming, and was performing the principal’s duties.
It also noted that the named principal no longer worked at the school, and that another previously named principal could not describe administrative duties that had been carried out.
Derksen also wrote in the report that school registration procedures were reviewed that indicated students with learning challenges or special needs would not be admitted.
The report said a directive was issued by OH&S to the school to create a committee, but nothing was implemented.
Derksen had instructed the director to recuse himself from all dealings with the school, and that the former director took some materials and records that Derksen had identified for retention by the Ministry of Education.
A list of recommendations was in the report given by Derksen, but the province redacted that, along with many other details in the reports.
Randall Fox was assigned to watch over Regent Academy, and the parts of the reports that weren’t redacted showed nothing out of the ordinary, according to Fox.
Michael Walter was the administrator assigned to Legacy Christian Academy, and much of his reports were redacted as well.
One section that was completely redacted had some points made that didn’t have much context.
“(Redacted) is a former teacher. (Redacted) stood up for students when the school went too far,” read one line.
“Students were told that they had to report issues with other students and if you didn’t, you were as guilty as the student doing something ‘wrong’,” read another line in the report.
The reports from Walter state that he went through the school curriculum, which consisted of PACE (Packet of Accelerated Christian Education) booklets, and made sure it aligned with the Saskatchewan curriculum.
He noted that he implemented an Occupational Health and Safety Committee, which had never existed in the school before.
In his report from Sept. 16 to Sept. 30, Walter said he requested to speak with the board of the school several times and still had no indication of a meeting being lined up.
By November, Walter had worked with Mile Two Church Inc. to get all financial documentation for the past ten years related to the school sent to the Ministry of Education for review but noted that the organization needed to separate that documentation from the church financials.
In the Nov. 16 to Nov. 30 report, Walter said teachers identified gaps within the PACE booklets and were making plans to address those gaps.
Walter noted in his December reports that Trudy Capes would be taking over for him as administrator.
“Despite heavy redactions, these reports still say a lot,” said NDP leader Carla Beck.
Beck claimed the Sask. Party was dishonest when talking about the oversight that was happening at these schools.
She said these reports highlight concerns about curriculum and financial matters.
“(These reports) show that there was a surplus revenue fund created once the Sask. Party began funding these schools, and a clear lack of oversight and proper financial record keeping.”
Beck compared that situation to the one public schools are facing, and the rally held over the weekend to bring attention to the lack of funding public schools are receiving from the province.
“We see that the Sask. Party government this year increased funding to Qualified Independent Schools by 25 per cent.”
Education Critic Matt Love said there were many things in the documents that tell a different story compared to what he heard from Minister Duncan, giving an example about work being done to align the school curriculum with the provincial standard, as well as school procedures that prevented kids with special needs or learning disabilities from attending these schools.
“It appears, although heavily redacted, that there was a lot of work needed, which again stands in contrast with what I was told in committee,” Love said.
Love criticized the redactions, saying he wondered “what damning information is still out there.”
He said there is significant public interest in these reports, noting this is taxpayer money going toward these schools.
Love said Qualified Independent Schools are a separate category of school, claiming that category makes them independent from oversight while still receiving government funding.
He said Saskatoon Public Schools pays $10.5 million to support kids with complex needs, and said Qualified Independent Schools are able to pick and choose who attends their school.
“You’re going to find students with complex needs, you’re going to find students with behaviour needs, you’re going to find students coming from families where maybe they have food insecurity or housing insecurity. You’re going to find teachers performing all sorts of duties to do everything they can to move that learning forward. These schools in question today are able to weed out all of those needs.”
He said the public school system is being starved.
Minister Duncan noted in March there was one special administrator left, the one assigned to Legacy Christian Academy.
“The second administrator (was released), based on their recommendation — they felt like their work had been complete and that the school no longer needed a public trustee,” Duncan said.
Duncan said amendments were made to the Registered Independent School Regulations and the Education Funding Regulations, adding that with the new changes comes the opportunity to put a school through probation, rather than giving them the choice of compliance or shutting the school down, depending on the violation.
Global News has reached out to Legacy Christian Academy, Grace Christian School and Regent Academy for comment.
Caitlin Erickson is one of the former students of LCA who opened the class-action lawsuit against Mile Two Church Inc. and said these administrator reports show things she already knows, noting they’ve brought these issues to Duncan’s attention before.
“It’s shocking, but it’s not. Because it really speaks to the competency at this point of the people that are keeping an eye on these schools,” Erickson said.
She questioned whether the province is forcing these schools to align themselves with the provincial education standards.
One of the reports mentioned a psychologist was brought in to LCA to assess a student at one point, and Erickson said it was great that this kid was able to get an assessment, noting in her experience at LCA didn’t have that, adding many students fell through the cracks.
In another part of the reports, it was noted that an LCA teacher tried to bring someone in to talk to the students, but the administrator stopped that from happening.
Erickson said she knew about the situation, adding that the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board got this individual to sign an agreement to not teach or be around students.
“That individual was on site a few times after that agreement was signed with the regulatory board, so that’s obviously a problem.”
“It just really does speak to their historical behaviour that the rules don’t apply to them,” Erickson added.
Erickson said LCA should have their doors shut, noting that’s a message they’ve been stressing from the beginning.
“This just speaks to the incompetence of the government right now, seeing this report. They should be really embarrassed, because this is everything we’ve said, and now it’s in a report.”
Global News received a response from the government of Saskatchewan after the indicated deadline in place of a response from LCA, touching on some of the findings from Walter.
“Legacy Christian Academy (LCA) created a reserve fund to build capacity to fund future needs, similar to school division practices. In March 2023 the Government of Saskatchewan strengthened oversight of independent schools which included enhanced financial reporting requirements,” read the statement.
“Former LCA Administrator Mike Walter did not find any significant concerns with LCA financials. To provide more clarity to independent school financials, beginning in the 2024-25 school year all qualified independent schools and certified independent schools must be registered as a separate non-profit organization from any parent organization.”
The province said independent schools are responsible for administrative procedures regarding visitors for the school, as well as instructional approaches by teachers.
It was noted that the matter was before the courts, and the provincial government said it was unable to provide any further comment.
— with files from Brooke Kruger, Connor O’Donovan, Kelly Skjerven, and Nathaniel Dove
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