Nanaimo Ladysmith Public SchoolsB次元官网网址� trustees have given final approval to name changes for Coal Tyee Elementary School and the sports field at Nanaimo District Secondary School.

As per board direction at a special meeting Wednesday, July 6, Coal Tyee will now be known as (soo-wintst), translating to B次元官网网址渙ur traditionsB次元官网网址� in HulB次元官网网址檘umiB次元官网网址檔um, while NDSS Community Field will be known as (ki-kin-ish-took), translating to B次元官网网址減ass it back.B次元官网网址�

Public feedback was accepted the duration of June, and more than 700 responses were received. According to a staff report, 52 per cent were in favour of 厂测耻岷伱﹏B次元官网网址檆迟 and a 46 per cent minority approved of 蚕B次元官网网址檜苍辩B次元官网网址檌苍耻辩飞蝉迟耻虫飞. A report on public engagement noted that there were comments regarding the language and pronunciation and some desire to name the school after a community contributor. Some members of the public felt the chosen names were positive changes in an era of truth and reconciliation.

Staff recommended both name changes, citing support from Snuneymuxw First Nation and alignment with the Syeyutsus reconciliation learning framework. While less than 50 per cent of respondents were in favour of 蚕B次元官网网址檜苍辩B次元官网网址檌苍耻辩飞蝉迟耻虫飞, staff said it appeared some were under the assumption that the high school itself was being renamed.

Charlene McKay, school board chairperson, said how signage will look has not been determined yet and work for 蚕B次元官网网址檜苍辩B次元官网网址檌苍耻辩飞蝉迟耻虫飞 will involve Snuneymuxw and the City of Nanaimo. The district will address concerns about pronunciation.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檒l be available phonetically, it will be available with audio files, so people can hear it and practise it, but weB次元官网网址檙e planning to do an educative campaign around the importance of the name changes, why weB次元官网网址檙e doing it, and help people understand the pronunciations,B次元官网网址� McKay said.

When asked about the number of respondents favouring the name changes hovering around 50 per cent, McKay said many people have not had access to information related to the effects of residential schools. ItB次元官网网址檚 understandable why half of respondents are hesitant to the change, she said.

B次元官网网址淲e took that into consideration and recognized the need for us to focus on the education piece of it,B次元官网网址� said McKay. B次元官网网址淢urray Sinclair (Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairperson) has said before, B次元官网网址楨ducation got us into this and education will get us out,B次元官网网址� so thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be a big part of our focus for the next little while. We understand why thereB次元官网网址檚 some hesitation out there, but we feel itB次元官网网址檚 really important as a component of reconciliation to take this small step forward.B次元官网网址�

At the meeting, trustee Naomi Bailey, who is Indigenous, said the district needs to be a leader.

B次元官网网址淚 think back B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 a history teacher B次元官网网址� to the Civil Rights Act of 1964,B次元官网网址� said Bailey. B次元官网网址淚f Lyndon B. Johnson had waited for the southern states to catch up, we would still be seeing situations of segregated schooling B次元官网网址� sometimes we have to be the change that needs to happen.B次元官网网址�

Bailey also said HulB次元官网网址檘umiB次元官网网址檔um names recount stories of connection to place, scientific knowledge, ancestral and historical information and insight into Indigenous world view.

B次元官网网址淚 believe itB次元官网网址檚 affirming to [First Peoples],B次元官网网址� said Bailey. B次元官网网址淏y doing this, itB次元官网网址檚 an act of anti-racism that recognizes the impact of colonization and it offers the opportunity for a sense of inclusivity for all people in this community. Our community needs to find ways of embracing its non-colonial history and I really believe that this is a step in that process.B次元官网网址�

Expenses related to the recommendations would be B次元官网网址渞elatively minor with minor signage changes required,B次元官网网址� noted staff, and estimated to be under $10,000 each.

While McKay did not want to venture a guess on when signage for the field would be ready, she anticipated a sign for the school would be ready for September.

The board voted unanimously in favour of both motions.

The name Coal Tyee (great coal chief) was originally thought to represent collaboration between colonial and Indigenous peoples and NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 history of coal mining, a previous staff report noted. However, the person the school was named after is seen by Snuneymuxw peoples as a tragic figure, as his interactions led to colonization of the area, and as such it did not align with district policy, the report said.

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