The Haida Gwaii School District, in collaboration with the Haida Gwaii Teachers’ Association, has reached a mutual agreement on a new Letter of Understanding to ensure that preferred replacement teachers for Haida Language and Culture classrooms are of Haida ancestry or possess substantial experience in Haida Language and Culture.
The HGTA brought forward the need for this action last year when some Haida Language and Culture teachers were absent and a substitute was required. Non-Haida teachers felt they were not fully equipped to cover the required language and cultural lessons effectively. “While this wasn’t always the case, it occurred frequently enough to raise concerns,” Manu Mashok, Deputy Superintendent of Haida Gwaii School District, told Haida Gwaii News.
A Teacher Teaching on Call (TTOC) position will soon be posted on the district’s website. Local Haida knowledge holders and language speakers are encouraged to apply. The district has also invited interested individuals to contact the school district for more information.
“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to reconciliation and honouring the Calls to Action outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” Haida Gwaii School District Superintendent Lisa Bernoties said in a press release. “We are also dedicated to upholding the principles of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.”
According to the district’s current collective agreement with the teachers’ association, certified professional teachers are always called first when a replacement teacher is needed. Therefore, any change to this practice required a mutual letter of understanding.
“After discussions with the union, we collectively decided that pursuing an LOU to make an exception for Haida Language and Culture classrooms was the next step,” Mashok said.
“This allows those committed to learning and teaching Haida language opportunities to pass their knowledge on to the next generation,” HGTA president Tammy Gates told Haida Gwaii News in an email.
The new agreement marks an important step forward in the district’s ongoing efforts to support Indigenous education and fulfill its reconciliation responsibilities.
“We are excited to continue our work as a team to ensure that the language of the original people of Haida Gwaii continues,” said Gates.