WESTLOCK – The chair of the Pembina Hills School Division board says she was not made aware of an incident in which a youth was found guilty last week of a sexual assault against another student that had occurred in a classroom.
The youth was 13 and the victim was 12 at the time of the sexual assault on April 5, 2023. He will be sentenced in Westlock Court of Justice in October.
“First I heard of it was when I read the news story,” Board Chair Judy Lefebvre said Friday (July 12). “It was forwarded to me.”
Court heard that the incident occurred in a darkened computer classroom after the teacher had left the room.
“We’re certainly not happy to hear of such things happening in our schools and we certainly don’t condone that,” said Lefebvre.
The sexual assault hasn’t been discussed yet at a board meeting as they haven't met since finding.
“It would be out of our purview as that’s something senior administration would be handling and it’s my understanding that the RCMP are involved so that takes it totally out of our hands.”
If the sexual assault is discussed at the board level, it would be in terms of policy, she added.
The youth who was found guilty can't be identified due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act. There is also a publication ban on identifying the girl.
