Aja (left) and Travis (right) Turko are speaking out about alleged bullying and racism towards their child. (Photo: The E3 Club)

By David Opinko

updated with statement from province

Allegations of racism at Coaldale school, inaction by school division

Jan 27, 2025 | 3:24 PM

The parents of a child at a middle school in Coaldale are speaking out after what they say has been several months of racism and a failure to respond appropriately to it.

Aja and Travis Turko’s 10-year-old son, who will remain anonymous in this article, attends R.I. Baker Middle School.

They say their child has been dealing with some “pretty significant bullying incidents” on the school bus for about the last eight months by a few 14-year-old students.

The parents claim that a few other Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) students have been victims of this type of behavior as well.

“There was some issues of racial slurs being used, some physical assaults, and, like, property damage,” says Travis.

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Aja and Travis describe their son as a “very strong academic student” who, in middle school, has already been planning the classes he wanted to take at Harvard University.

After these incidents started occurring, however, the parents say their son regressed in his studies and became afraid to go to school.

Aja and Travis told LNN that they spoke to the principal at R.I. Baker about their concerns and were not pleased with his response.

“The fact that the principal tried to minimize it and made comments that suggested that he had a significant bias, made us feel like my son was not being given a fair chance,” says Aja. “The principal also didn’t take any steps to protect our son after it happened, or he took minimal steps, I would say.”

Aja adds that when she told the principal that their son needed professional support in order to feel comfortable coming back to school, they were reportedly told to sue the parents of the alleged bullies.

The Turko family says the school’s principal continued to make inappropriate comments to their child throughout the school year.

“He refuses to apologize or to take any kind of responsibility for his significant part in this,” says Aja.

She adds, “We don’t feel safe sending our children to school knowing that there’s somebody in a significant position of leadership who can say things like, racism will always be a thing, but we should still do our part, and who, like, blatantly disrespects parents and students and the comfort of students.”

The parents then took their complaints to the Palliser School Division and claimed that they had failed to take the appropriate steps to remedy the situation.

“What was the hardest for us was that when we reached out for help, like many levels of leadership tried to sweep it under the rug, or, you know, the principal said that he wanted to keep this quiet. The deputy superintendent asked us to please not contact media,” says Aja.

Aja says the Palliser School Division does not have adequate cultural diversity training for any of its staff. The parents say they want to see better policies and training put into place.

They are asking for apologies from the principal of R.I. Baker and the School Division.

LNN has received the following statement from the Palliser School Division:

“Palliser School Division prioritizes the safety, well-being, and respectful treatment of all students and staff. While we cannot comment on specific situations due to privacy considerations, we want to assure you that we take all concerns seriously. When issues are brought to our attention, we investigate thoroughly and take appropriate action to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals. We will continue to offer support and resources to all students and staff.

We value the feedback and perspectives of our diverse community. The Division is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment free from discrimination.

As a Division, we always strive to expand our growth and learning; as such, we will continue to engage in anti-racism learning and strive for transparency in our actions. Diversity is a strength, and we are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all members of our school community.”

A spokesperson from the Palliser School Division says that officials from R.I. Baker will not be issuing any comments on this matter at this time.

The Alberta Ministry of Education has sent the following statement to LNN:

“Every child, student, family, and staff member should feel safe, respected, cared for, and welcomed at their school. Through the Education Act, school authorities are required to provide all staff and students with a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging.

Parents are encouraged to reach out directly to their locally elected school boards with issues like this one.”

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