The following article was written by Curtis Kleisinger, Executive Director of MTMS, and Terri Cote, Principal of MTMS, and has been featured in Promotio Iustitiae, a publication by the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) at the General Curia of the Society of Jesus in Rome.
Safeguarding at Mother Teresa Middle School (MTMS) is rooted in kinship and culture. Our way of proceeding confronts the issue directly and charges head on, like a buffalo into a storm, and intentionally acknowledges the Truth and Reconciliation Reports: Calls to Action and the tragic history of Residential Schools in Canada. A new narrative is being created at MTMS, where students walk through the doors of the school every day, knowing they are safe and loved. MTMS is a place where students can let their guard down, be themselves, and breath easy.
Safeguarding at MTMS is more than policies and procedures. Promoting and cultivating a culture of protection, care, and respect for one another is a lived experience. It is deeply rooted in trust, great love for each other, Mother Earth, and a willingness to engage in traditional ceremony and cultural ways with Indigenous people.
Click here to read the article, “Protection with Indigenous Cultures: Safeguarding Rooted in Kinship and Culture at Mother Teresa Middle School, Canada” in Promotio Iustitiae (page 45).