From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2022 8:38 AM
To: Ryan.Stewart@burnabyschools.ca
Cc: Bill.Brassington@burnabyschools.ca; Christine.Cunningham@burnabyschools.ca; Gary.Wong@burnabyschools.ca; Jen.Mezei@burnabyschools.ca; Larry.Hayes@burnabyschools.ca; Peter.Cech@burnabyschools.ca
Subject: RE: Burnaby School Library Concerns

 

Dear Ryan,

 

Are you aware that The Ministry of Education no longer conducts evaluation processes to recommend learning resources?  This responsibility now rests with the board.  Any concerns or challenges to the use of a learning resource should be dealt with at the district level.

 

SCHOOL ACT [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 412

Provision of educational program

Section 75

(7)Subject to the regulations, a board

 

(a)is responsible for evaluating all of the educational programs and services provided by the board, including services provided under an agreement under section 86 (1) (a), and”

 

Thus, the board is vicariously liable for the materials provided to children by teachers, principals, and school administrators. Parents expect the board to engage in the protection and supervision of minors in their care.

 

I understand that resources are to be inclusive and suitable based on diverse social considerations. Nevertheless, resources are to be ages appropriate, and within the boundary of the rules of law, and as I previously mentioned “Children ages from 5 years old up to 17 years old…  are at risk of being exposed to books containing sexual references, sexual activity, sexual material, and books showing a person who is engaged in or is depicted as engaged in explicit sexual activity.”

 

According to the Canadian Center for Child Protection a non-contact sexual abuse is as follow:

 

Which in my understanding in line with sections 151 and 152 of the Criminal Code of Canada.

 

It is important to know that we do not have to prove that a child has been abused in order to report abuse. If we observe or hear about concerning behavior or an inappropriate situation between an adult and a child within an organization, such as a school, daycare, or sports program, due to mandatory laws in most provinces in Canada we must report our concern to the organization.

 

Once more, I would advise the School Board to remove those books from the library, contact the librarian, review those books, and make sure that all book selection policy has been followed and/or could you please at least let me know the proper formal process I need to engage to further review the books mentioned below, give me the contact of the person responsible for the book’s central databases, as well as the contact information of the police liaison officer responsible for the Burnaby School District, so I do not waste any more of your time and energy on this matter?

 

I hope this helps to clarify the importance of this email, and please let me know if you need anything else or if you have any questions.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Pierre Barns

236-458-7269

 

 

From: Ryan Stewart <Ryan.Stewart@burnabyschools.ca>
Sent: April 27, 2022 12:14 PM
To: pierrebarns@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Burnaby School Library Concerns

 

Dear Pierre,

 

If you have a child in the Burnaby school system, you may raise the matter with the school principal. If the outcome proves unsatisfactory, you may follow the district's specified process.

 

Concerns about curriculum may be directed to the Ministry of Education.

 

Ryan

 


From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: April 26, 2022 8:01 PM
To: Ryan Stewart <Ryan.Stewart@burnabyschools.ca>
Cc: Bill Brassington <Bill.Brassington@burnabyschools.ca>; Christine Cunningham <Christine.Cunningham@burnabyschools.ca>; Gary Wong <Gary.Wong@burnabyschools.ca>; Jen Mezei <Jen.Mezei@burnabyschools.ca>; Larry Hayes <Larry.Hayes@burnabyschools.ca>; Peter Cech <Peter.Cech@burnabyschools.ca>
Subject: RE: Burnaby School Library Concerns

 

Dear Ryan,

 

I'm certainly not an email etiquette expert, but I find it offensive when someone doesn't properly acknowledge the reception of an email.

 

Without proper acknowledgment, I grow concerned that perhaps the email was not appropriately written, and if so, it may appear that I'm not communicating in the proper way. A simple reply stating, "got it," "received it," or "thank you" might relieve my worries. So, yes, I do think it is polite and appropriate to properly acknowledge receipt of valid emails as soon as possible and provide a follow-up regarding action taken by the school board regarding such an important issue.

 

Could you please at least let me know the proper formal process I need to engage to further review the books mentioned below, give me the contact of the person responsible for the book’s central databases, as well as the contact information of the police liaison officer responsible for the Burnaby School District, so I do not waste any more of your time and energy on this matter?

 

Kind Regards,

 

Pierre Barns

236-458-7269

 

From: Ryan Stewart <Ryan.Stewart@burnabyschools.ca>
Sent: April 26, 2022 6:55 PM
To: pierrebarns@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Burnaby School Library Concerns

 

UNSUBSCRIBE

 

Ryan Stewart | Burnaby School Trustee

 

From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 7:35 AM
To: Bill Brassington <Bill.Brassington@burnabyschools.ca>, Christine Cunningham <Christine.Cunningham@burnabyschools.ca>, Gary Wong <Gary.Wong@burnabyschools.ca>, Jen Mezei <Jen.Mezei@burnabyschools.ca>, Larry Hayes <Larry.Hayes@burnabyschools.ca>, Peter Cech <Peter.Cech@burnabyschools.ca>, Ryan Stewart <Ryan.Stewart@burnabyschools.ca>
Subject: Burnaby School Library Concerns

Dear Trustees,

I know that you are passionate about helping the students succeed at the Burnaby School District and I recognize you have a challenging and demanding job, so I will make it short, but this is an important matter.

I have reason to believe that children or youth have been or could be likely abused or neglected based on what I have seen and information I have found on your library site; I am concerned about the safety and well-being of those under your authority about a serious matter that is happening within your school. As a Canadian citizen and under B.C. law, I have a duty to report the following concerns.

Children ages from 5 years old up to 17 years old at the schools mentioned below have been or are at risk of being exposed to books containing sexual references, sexual activity, sexual material, and books showing a person who is engaged in or is depicted as engaged in explicit sexual activity. The main characteristics of those books relate to sexual activity, and it should concern all of us.

At this stage, I would advise the School Board to remove those books from the library, contact the librarian, review those books, and make sure that all book selection policy has been followed.

I would be happy to meet the school board and discuss if it can help.

Here are some shipset and screenshot of the book It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie h. Harris and Michael Emberly available at the following Elementary School:

Armstrong Elementary School, Ecole Brantford Elementary School, Ecole Seaforth School, Guilmore Elementary School, Windsor Elementary School, South Slope Elementary School and Suncrest Elementary School.

Page 9:

"Another kind of sexual intercourse happens when the sexual pails of two people who have female bodies touch or when the sexual parts of two people who have male bodies touch. This kind of touching can make the whole body feel good — feel sexy."

Page 60:

"When a person with a female body and a person with a male body are having vaginal intercourse, the erect penis goes into and inside the vagina, which stretches in a way that fits around the penis. The wetness from the vagina makes it easier for the penis to go into the vagina."

"Vaginal intercourse is also called vaginal sex. As the two people move back and forth in rhythm, the movement of the penis inside the vagina soon feels very good."

Page 61:

When these feelings come to a climax, semen is ejaculated from the penis and spurts into the vagina, and the muscles in the vagina and uterus tighten and finally relax. This is called having an orgasm. Often, right after an orgasm, a small amount of fluid may come out of the vagina and out of the penis.

A cartoon bird and beeDescription automatically generated A cartoon of two people lying in a bedDescription automatically generated A close-up of a bookDescription automatically generated

A page of a book about a couple of peopleDescription automatically generated A page of a book with textDescription automatically generated A page of a book with text and cartoon charactersDescription automatically generated A book cover with a picture of naked menDescription automatically generated A couple of naked people in bedDescription automatically generated A cartoon of different men and womenDescription automatically generated with medium confidence A cartoon of naked peopleDescription automatically generated A diagram of a person bending overDescription automatically generated A poster of a person in front of a mirrorDescription automatically generated A group of children sleeping in bedDescription automatically generated

 

 

 

Here are some screenshots of the book Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg available at the following Elementary School:

Cameron Elementary School, Chaffey-Burke Elementary School, Confederation Park Elementary School, Douglas Road Elementary School, École Armstrong Elementary School, École Aubrey School, École Brantford Elementary School, École Capitol Hill School, École Cascade Heights Elementary School, École Seaforth School, École Westridge Elementary School, Edmonds Community School, Forest Grove Elementary School, Glenwood Elementary School, Kitchener Elementary School, Lochdale Community School, Lyndhurst Elementary School, Maywood Community School, Montecito Elementary School, Morley Elementary School, Nelson Elementary School, South Slope Elementary School, Stride Community School, Suncrest Elementary School, Taylor Park Elementary School, Twelfth Avenue Elementary School and Windsor Elementary School.

A group of cartoon charactersDescription automatically generated A book cover of a bookDescription automatically generated A poster of cartoon charactersDescription automatically generated with medium confidence A poster with cartoon charactersDescription automatically generated A poster with different images of different body partsDescription automatically generated with medium confidence A cartoon of people pointing at a bookDescription automatically generated A poster of a group of peopleDescription automatically generated A colorful banner with textDescription automatically generated with medium confidence A colorful poster with text and picturesDescription automatically generated A colorful poster with textDescription automatically generated A poster with cartoon charactersDescription automatically generated A green and purple cartoon of babiesDescription automatically generated A group of children with different posesDescription automatically generated A cartoon of a person in a bathtubDescription automatically generated

 

Here are some screenshots of the book Gender Queer by Kobabe Mais available at the following Secondary School:

Burnaby North Secondary School and Ecole Alpha Secondary School.

 

A cover of a bookDescription automatically generated A comic strip of a personDescription automatically generated A comic strip of a person in bedDescription automatically generated A comic page of a person kissing a personDescription automatically generated A comic book of two peopleDescription automatically generated A comic page of two peopleDescription automatically generated

Here are some screenshots of the book Fun Home by Alison Bechdel available at the following Secondary School:

Burnaby North Secondary School, Ecole Alpha Secondary School, Ecole Moscrop Secondary School, Burnaby South Secondary School and Burnaby Central Secondary School.

A comic page of a person in a beauty salonDescription automatically generated A comic strip of a child reading a bookDescription automatically generated A comic page of a cartoonDescription automatically generated A comic strip of a personDescription automatically generated A comic strip of a person and a childDescription automatically generated A comic strip of a personDescription automatically generated

 

Kind Regards,

Pierre Barns

236-458-7269