(The Canadian Press)

By Sheldon Spackman

safety concerns raised

Facebook argument leads to Blackfalds school dance being cancelled

Dec 9, 2019 | 11:14 AM

A heated Facebook argument led to a family event at a Blackfalds school being cancelled over safety concerns.

Wolf Creek Public Schools Supt. Jayson Lovell explained the decision to cancel Thursday’s Iron Ridge Intermediate Campus’ Family School Christmas Dance in a letter to parents.

Lovell says the situation started with a complaint over a lesson being taught by at teacher at the school.

“The Principal sought to address the concerns through open and constructive dialogue, but was unsuccessful.”

A caller to rdnewsNOW says a parent took to the ‘Blackfalds Opinion Posts and More’ group to share their anger over their child being taught to believe that the oil and gas industry was bad.

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The ensuing discussion on the post escalated to the point where Blackfalds RCMP was called to investigate and a ticket was issued under the School Act for disturbing or interrupting the proceedings of a school.

“The RCMP takes any threats made seriously and we investigate to determine whether they’re credible and whether they meet a threshold for criminal charges. So the public does need to be mindful that even social media is not a forum that allows you to utter threats,” says Cpl. Laurel Scott with RCMP K Division.

Lovell says he was disappointed to have to cancel the dance.

“We didn’t want to subject our students or staff to any kind of scenario where there could be potentially a major confrontation or disruption to that event,” he explained. “Knowing it’s a Christmas event with potentially 500 of our students and parents in attendance, we just felt that we needed to take precautions and put student and staff safety first.”

The parent who called rdnewsNOW says she also is disappointed by the situation.

“It’s unnerving,” she says. “There’s a lot of angry, hurt people and we all sympathize with that. But it’s causing such division. I think what we’re embarking on is there’s no debate anymore, it’s a lot of lashing out, and it’s a lot of us against them. You’re either for the environment, or you’re for the oil, there’s no in between.”

The woman feels it’s important for the curriculum to teach both sides, but feels many people are at the point now where they’re getting upset if something is being taught that is not on ‘their side.’

“It’s getting ugly,” she exclaims. “You want to fight about it over a beer, that’s fine. But now we’re bringing schools into it, we’re involving kids, we’re threatening a school, that’s troublesome.”

“I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever in what occurred in the classroom,” noted Lovell. “There’s no indication that there was inappropriate messaging or communication or delivery of content. I think in some ways there was a misunderstanding about that particular classroom and the instruction that took place.”

Lovell says a rescheduled family event will be held at the school in the New Year.

A previously-scheduled parent information session about the safe and proper use of social media goes Tuesday, Dec. 10 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Iron Ridge Intermediate Campus.