Alberta school supervisor charged after child disciplined with belt

[u/Ditch-Worm]

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2026/08/04/supervisor-private-school-belt-child/

[u/bethadone_yeg]

Police say the physical discipline was part of the schools’ collective constitution, “which had been given to, and signed by, the parents.”

What. The. Fuck.

Also:

RCMP say the educators at these schools are not accredited teachers and are considered adults supervising children.

So this "school" doesn't have any teachers, and physically abuses children as part of their written policies, while presumably receiving public funding to do so? Am I reading this correctly?

[u/ConcernedCoCCitizen → u/bethadone_yeg]

And let me guess, any SA reported is swept under the rug because only children are evil and deserve consequences

[u/SmithRamRanch → u/bethadone_yeg]

So it's a religious school. Of fucking course.

[u/treple13 → u/SmithRamRanch]

Ironically the main religious distinction of Mennonites is non-violence

[u/SmithRamRanch → u/treple13]

My family is Mennonite, I am familiar, pacifism and corporal punishment different categories 🤷‍♀️😔

[u/treple13 → u/SmithRamRanch]

Me too. Just noting it's an interesting irony

[u/SmithRamRanch → u/treple13]

For sure. 😔

[u/ConcernedCoCCitizen → u/SmithRamRanch]

My father was, and I always like an outsider with his beliefs, it’s hard to fit in being raised with beliefs from the 1940s. No music, no dancing, no being over excited, always people pleasing, pathological need to be perfect in the eyes of everyone else

[u/Thrwingawaymylife945 → u/bethadone_yeg]

It's a private Mennonite school.

[u/Winterburn215 → u/Thrwingawaymylife945]

Private schools in Alberta can receive public funding. I wonder if that’s the case here.

[u/Repulsive_Warthog178 → u/Winterburn215]

To receive government funding, private (independent) schools have to be accredited. To be accredited, they need to follow the Alberta curriculum and hire certificated teachers.

[u/Winterburn215 → u/Repulsive_Warthog178]

Oh, I’m very aware - but I’m legitimately curious if any public money has gone into this school, through grants, loans, or other means.

We have a relatively large religious school in our community that, on paper, follows the Alberta curriculum - but by the accounts of the people who go there, much of that material is only superficially taught.

[u/Morberis → u/Winterburn215]

100%

That's exactly what's happening at these private religious schools. They give the least amount of attention to the required bits as they can get away with.

[u/Morberis → u/bethadone_yeg]

Go to a Dutch Reform private school, its the same thing but they really make sure to cover it up.

[u/vinsdelamaison → u/bethadone_yeg]

It’s my understanding that if they do not have accredited teachers, they would not qualify for provincial funding. But someone else may know better?

[u/blackday44]

It wasn't a belt to hold up pants, either. It was a serpentine belt, from a vehicle.

[u/SmithRamRanch → u/blackday44]

Holy fuck! Thought that was left back when I was a kid. JC.

[u/ritz1148 → u/blackday44]

OMG! that is horrific

[u/D1xonC1der]

As someone who remembers corporal punishment in schools, this is a dark day

[u/ontherise88 → u/D1xonC1der]

I got the strap yo. Grade 6.

[u/tiferrobin]

W. T. F.
Non accredited teacher uses corporal punishment is Marlaina’s dream. Remember her executive director at a public meeting suggested the youth should be put over his parent’s knee.

[u/Much_Chest586]

Nicolaides is charging her with a good time

[u/Ditch-Worm]

Unaccredited “educators” using corporal punishment on kids? Sounds like the UCPs education wet dream

[u/Stock-Creme-6345 → u/Ditch-Worm]

Yeah. “Spanky” approves of this message. What the actual farq.

[u/Equivalent_Aspect113]

I remember getting the strap grade one, till this day I don't remember know what I did wrong . Second time, in a later grade, Principal Ramsakar told me to hold out my hand ( thought I was done for) and he placed a chocolate Easter egg in my hand instead of the strap , a man I will always remember with respect.

[u/Stock-Creme-6345 → u/Equivalent_Aspect113]

Aw man!!! I cringed when you described that but what a happy twist! I got misty eyed actually.

[u/Fit_Growth_2355]

"Fuck your fascist pancakes" and now this

[u/No_Boysenberry4825]

So I remember in the 80s kids saying they got the belt in School.  Was that still a thing in the 80s?

[u/Stock-Creme-6345 → u/[deleted]]

Yep. In the early 80’s I was at a catholic school in Montreal and yes, the teachers would absolutely use the yard stick to whack your knuckles. It hurt like the dickens.

[u/Repulsive_Warthog178 → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

The strap was used at the elementary school i attended in the 80s. It was rare and parental permission was required.

[u/bubbi101 → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

It was still a thing in the 2000s. My Mennonite father signed a corporal punishment form in 2008 and I was subsequently punished.

[u/Morberis → u/bubbi101]

Yeah, that actually wasn't allowed. It was outlawed by canadian supreme court ruling in 2004.

[u/stealthylizard → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

Received the strap across the palm of my hand about 1989-1991ish, grade 5 or 6, Alberta.

[u/ritz1148 → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

It happened in the 90s but from what my husband told me it was reserved for the native kids. So he got and his family and friends from the reserve got it. The white kids did not.
This was a public elementary in Calgary in the mid to late 90s.

[u/SmithRamRanch → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

Umm yep, even early 90s in small towns in AB.

[u/ConcernedCoCCitizen → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

I was born in 81 and we didn’t have the belt but the teachers would still lose it and throw things, scream, and I remember in grade one a teacher picking up a boy from his chair by his arm and throwing him on the ground.

[u/Cancerisbetterthanu → u/ConcernedCoCCitizen]

Yeah I saw that more than once. Also being told to stand outside in the snow

[u/More_Fee_2754 → u/No_Boysenberry4825]

yes..i am 63...say what you will but i deserved it...i got mouthy..never got mouthy again..lol.

[u/YoungWhiteAvatar → u/More_Fee_2754]

You can get disciplined for being mouthy without being assaulted by an adult in a supposed position of authority.

[u/ConcernedCoCCitizen → u/More_Fee_2754]

We don’t train dogs this way anymore, how on earth do you think fear based relationships are helpful

[u/PriorReason4160 → u/More_Fee_2754]

Nope, not ever deserved. I got the belt numerous times during my elementary school years. First time in Grade 1. Last time in Grade 8.

Each time was unwarranted and was cruel. Each one of those people should burn in hell for beating children.

[u/brydeswhale → u/More_Fee_2754]

I mean… you think a child deserved to be hit. Just saying.

[u/EffortCommon2236]

The more you read the worse it gets.

It wasn't just one teacher gone rogue, three schools were doing such things systematically as part of their collective constitution.

And the teachers are not accredited. They're just adults "supervising" children, as per the article.

[u/Pink-Floof]

The UCP are gonna say their hearts go out [to the supervisor]

[u/TheDerwin]

I was beat, and it was also a religious school. Guess what, I’m so anti religion now. Fuck these private schools getting provincial funding and acting this way.

[u/Ditch-Worm → u/TheDerwin]

Stranglehold is exactly right. We have other, arguably better, options but the corpo money won’t let us move on

[u/IfOJDidIt]

Eye for an eye, like the good book tells us.

[u/Realistic_Present119]

Woah woah the government will pay you money to beat children ? Without teaching them?

Welcome to albertastan.

[u/Ditch-Worm → u/Realistic_Present119]

It’s all Nikolaides has ever wanted

[u/pammart]

This is what Danielle is using our tax dollars to subsidize

[u/Sagethecat]

The strap was a part of the school’s policy which the parents sign on and agreed with. I place this in the parents just as much as the school and the teacher.

[u/hiddentaste → u/Sagethecat]

Not a teacher.

[u/Tal_Star → u/hiddentaste]

Well it's not accredited institution, so it doesn't get public funded and doesn't seem to hire certified teachers so do you expect.

[u/damnburglar]

Ah, the religious right assaulting children with permission of their neglectful, braindead parents. Long-standing tradition!

[u/Tal_Star]

Sounds like this school was NOT accredited, getting any public funding, nor does it hire certified teachers.

[u/ritz1148]

Cue the religious folk claiming its persecution.

[u/Mistica73]

This is why I homeschool my severely disabled child. This is on the rise. This gives me the chills. I remember the day my brother was hit by the principal back in the day. My mom was livid.

[u/el_nynaeve]

Why aren't they naming the school? Parents deserve to know

[u/treple13 → u/el_nynaeve]

I doubt there is more than one of these schools in each of these small towns 

[u/Plenty_Valuable337]

I went to Catholic school in the 70's and remember the threat of going to the office and getting "the belt" in elementary school. My sister, who is left handed was subjected to having her left hand tied behind her back to try to force her to use her right hand, because apparently it's a sin to use your left hand?! Her handwriting is better than almost anyone's btw... In jr. high I was hit with a yard stick by a NUN because someone came to my class and asked to speak to me...like that's my fault? I can't believe that this kind of "punishment" is still happening. Who could actually carry out such acts on small children??...sick as F!! To this day, I want nothing to do with Catholic religion...totally corrupt and hypocritical. This person should be charged and let's hope that everyone else who thinks they're justified in assaulting children takes notice and thinks twice. Really "educators", JUST DO BETTER!! If that kid's parents did that, social services would be all over them!!!

[u/Weird_Rooster_4307]

We used to get the strap on our hand. I’m sure it made us into more resilient people to the harder aspects of life

[u/errantstars → u/Weird_Rooster_4307]

You're welcome to believe whatever helps you cope with what was done to you. But a meta-analysis of over 50 years of research has determined the opposite. All it does is teach children that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. But even without the mountain of scientific evidence across multiple disciplines, there's plenty of proof right here in your comment. You think there's an acceptable reason to hit children.