RCMP are investigating after multiple elementary school teachers and staff were sent “disturbing letters” earlier this month.
Police would not share the content of the letters but say the investigation opened on Nov. 4 at Evelyn Dickson Elementary School in Vanderhoof, B.C., a community of approximately 4,000 people, about 80 kilometres west of Prince George.
The investigation was opened just days after police started looking into an incident of vandalism targeting a rainbow crosswalk in the same community.
Though not necessarily linked, Mayor Kevin Moutray said he is disturbed that individuals in Vanderhoof are sharing hateful messages.
“This is not Vanderhoof,” he said. “We are not hate. We are a loving community, and it’s a sad day that people tarnish that when they do these acts.”
Moutray says Vanderhoof prides itself on being an inclusive community, and he is upset a small group of individuals is trying to hurt the community and its reputation. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC)
Content of letters not disclosed by officials
Neither the school board nor the school district would share information about what was in the letters, citing the RCMP investigation.
In a statement, School District 81 board chair David Christie said, “Intimidation and harassment are unacceptable behaviours that have no place in our schools, communities or society.”
He also pointed to the B.C. Human Rights Code, which is meant to protect individuals from discrimination.
The statement from Christie was co-signed by individuals representing the unions for teachers and support staff, the B.C. Principals and Vice Principals Association and the District Parents Advisory Council.
Moutray said it was “disgusting” that someone had decided to target teachers and school staff.
“In a small community, there’s a really good chance that you know the person that sent that,” he said. “So that has that extra layer of hurt that, you know, this is potentially one of your neighbours sending something like that.”
Rainbow crosswalk also targeted
Moutray said it was doubly disappointing the letters had come on the heels of a separate incident that saw a rainbow crosswalk in the community targeted for vandalism.
Police are investigating the Oct. 19 incident, when someone spray painted the crosswalk — meant to represent inclusion for LGBTQ people in the community — with messages such as “Speak Truth” and “Save the Kids.”
Inclusion initiatives have been targeted by some groups who claim that programs meant to teach children about gender identity and sexuality are instead encouraging kids to change genders. Educators say there is no evidence to support the claim.
Officials would not say whether there was any link between the crosswalk incident and the letters received by teachers.
But Moutray encouraged anyone with information about either event to talk to police for the good of the community.