Surveys suggest support for Calgary Catholic district renaming Bishop Grandin High School

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

An online survey conducted by the Calgary Catholic School District earlier this month found that nearly 80 per cent of the parents and members of the general CCSD community are in favour of the school district changing the name of Bishop Grandin High School. 

Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin was a Roman Catholic priest and bishop who advocated on behalf of Métis rights, but he also believed Indigenous people needed to be "civilized" and viewed residential schools as the way to accomplish this.

After the recent discovery of what are believed to be the unmarked burial sites containing children's remains, adjacent to a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., schools and municipalities across the country have been removing the names of those involved in the residential school system from buildings and infrastructure.

Earlier this month, the Calgary Board of Education passed a motion to change Langevin School to Riverside School, after years of advocacy from students and community members. 

Hector-Louis Langevin was one of the fathers of Confederation and a Conservative cabinet minister, serving as secretary of state for the provinces when the country's residential schools were introduced. He is considered to be an architect of the residential school system.

The Calgary Catholic School District conducted multiple online surveys called "ThoughtExchanges" from June 4 to 8. One was specifically for Grandin staff, one was for Grandin students and one targeted parents and members of the overall CCSD community. 

The ThoughtExchange targeting the overall community had 1,467 respondents.

It found that 79 per cent thought the school district should change the name of the school, 12 per cent said it shouldn't and nine per cent said they were undecided. 

A report issued on the findings said those who supported the renaming of the school did so for reasons that included:

• Bishop Grandin's involvement in the creation of residential schools, and the residential school legacy.
• Concerns for the Indigenous students who are part of the Bishop Grandin regular attendance area.
• It fits as a step toward reconciliation as outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Those who did not support the renaming of the school said it was for reasons that included:

• Using Bishop Grandin's name as an opportunity to continue the conversation for future generations.
• Consideration of the good of Bishop Grandin's life, not just his role in residential schools.
• Consideration of the context of the time, and an opinion that it is unreasonable to hold a historical figure accountable by today's knowledge and standards.
• Consideration of the 50 years of history of the school, and its graduates' legacy
• Concern relative to the resources required to change the name, and that they were better used in the classroom.

The survey targeting Bishop Grandin students specifically yielded 662 responses. It found that 51 per cent thought the school district should change the name of the school, 25 per cent said it shouldn't and 24 per cent said they were undecided. 

The survey targeting Bishop Grandin staff specifically yielded 77 responses and found that 54 per cent thought the district should change the name of the school, 16 per cent said it shouldn't and 23 per cent said they were undecided.

Trustees had been "considering the possibility of renaming Bishop Grandin High School" for several months, including a motion at a Feb. 24 meeting to prepare a report about renaming.

In March, another motion was passed allowing administration to invite provincial representatives to be part of an extensive consultation process regarding the request to change the name of Bishop Grandin High School, "with the hope of bringing forth recommendations to the board by June 30, 2022."

Trustees are set to receive these reports, along with a report from administration and the district's Indigenous team, at its board meeting later this week. 

Support is available for anyone affected by the lingering effects of residential schools, and those who are triggered by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.