SD33 superintendent addresses safe spaces, food security in welcome back letter
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CHILLIWACK — SD33 Superintendent Rohan Arul-pragasam addressed safe spaces, food insecurity and other pertinent topics in a lengthy two-page welcome back to school letter emailed to parents late Thursday night, August 31.
In his letter, Arul-pragasam touched on safe spaces and said recent protests in various Canadian communities have opposed the LGBTQ community, highlighting what he said was the presence and increase of hate in society. He did not cite the specific venues where these protests occurred and exactly what the incendiary rhetoric was.
“The Chilliwack Board of Education strongly believes that everyone should have the freedom to be their authentic selves without facing discrimination, harassment, or intimidation,” he wrote. “The Chilliwack School District is dedicated to upholding the B.C. Human Rights Code and ensuring that the human rights of every individual within our district are respected and protected. We look forward to working with our parents and community again to provide quality instruction, programming, and support for all our students in a safe, inclusive environment so every student can be inspired to thrive.”
On the topic of food insecurity amid rising food costs and inflationary pressures affecting Canadians across the socioeconomic spectrum, Arul-pragasam said the BC government announced the Feeding Futures program in April 2023 where the province will invest $214 million over three years so school districts can create or expand food programs in schools. School districts can hire dedicated staff to coordinate providing meals and snacks to students, and that’s just what SD33 has done.
