Talking to your School

“As a parent, you are your child’s natural advocate. You can make sure your child’s rights, needs and opinions are respected.

You can help make sure that decisions affecting your child are made fairly.”

Speaking UP! A parent guide to advocating for students in public schools

Start with your Teacher, and your Principal

Students have the right to a safe, secure, welcoming learning environment. If you have a concern or complaint, you can expect that principals, teachers and support staff will respond with respect, and will follow the District’s complaint resolution process.

The opportunities provided in this process allow for personal engagement and direct communication. This process, rather than posting or venting online, is more likely to lead to a resolution that benefits the well-being of your child.

The first place to start is with your teacher, and your principal. The District will become involved only if resolution cannot be reached.

(NOTE: if you would like to print a copy of this information, it's available here.)

Complaint Resolution Process

When you have a concern, the District and its staff will follow the procedures outlined in its Administrative Procedure, the Complaint Resolution Process. 

In following this process, complaints are:

• handled as near to the source as possible
• investigated and resolved expeditiously
• dealt with in a courteous and constructive manner

Employees against whom complaints are made will be given an opportunity to respond.

The complaint process ensures your concern will be given respectful attention, while upholding the integrity of the educational system.

Complaints, questions or expressions of concern will be dealt with in a manner that reflects mutual respect and the principles of fair process and ultimately leads to a resolution.

If you are concerned about the selection or use of a learning resource, the Learning Resources: Selection, Challenge and Reconsideration process will be followed.

For other concerns, the Complaint Resolution Process outlines the following steps:

Step 1: Initial Contact

The principal will ask you to discuss the concern with the teacher or staff person involved.

• Both parties will be asked to define the concern, clarify the issues, develop an appreciation and understanding of each other’s viewpoint and attempt to resolve the concern.
• If there is no resolution, the principal will proceed to Step 2.

  Step 2: Facilitated Contact

• The principal will meet with you.
• Information will be gathered about the concern and the attempts made so far to find resolution, and possible solutions will be discussed.
• If there is no resolution, the principal will proceed to Step 3.

 Step 3: District Contact

• The principal will ask you to contact one of the assistant superintendents, or directors of instruction.
• The principal will forward the documentation about your concern to the assistant superintendent or director of instruction, with recommendations for resolution.
• The assistant superintendent or director of instruction will review the information, contact you, and work to resolve the concern and keep all parties informed.
• If there is no resolution, the principal will proceed to Step 4.

Step 4: Appeal to the Board

Once you have been through steps 1 to 3, and you wish to appeal to the Board about a decision or an action made by an employee that significantly affects the education, health or safety of a student, you can do so in writing, following the process outlined in section 11 of the School Act and School District No. 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) Appeals – By-Law 1.

Other Options

The BC Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) accepts written complaints from “any person from the public relating to the conduct or competence of a certificate holder.”

The Office of the Ombudsperson also accepts complaints from the public regarding concerns about “unfair administrative decisions or actions, including lack of adequate reasons, unreasonable delay, unfair procedures, and arbitrary or unauthorized procedures.

The BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) offers the guide Speaking Up! A parent guide to advocating for students in public schools, which includes guidelines for working through a problem.