Nicole Moon-Keca struggled to go to school every morning, dreading what awaited her.
“In academy, I was among the less athletic students so if a teacher wasn’t looking I would get hit with a soccer ball,” recalled the 17-year-old, a graduate of Edmonton’s St. Thomas More Junior High’s soccer academy program. “I was a bit heavier in junior high. I was teased for my size.”
When the school day ended, the torment didn’t stop. Classmates posted “nasty things” on social media that spread “like wildfire,” she recalled.
‘We can’t turn a blind eye, we can’t ignore all of the voices saying it’s a problem.’ – Nicole Moon-Keca, former St. Thomas More student
She was too embarrassed to tell her parents and didn’t feel like she could turn to school staff for help.
“I felt like I wasn’t getting the right support that I should have been getting and justice wasn’t being served in favour of those who were going through what I was going through,” said Moon-Keca, an honours student with a passion for public speaking.
It’s the reason she recently signed an online petition calling for an independent investigation at St. Thomas More into allegations of bullying. Another former St. Thomas More graduate, Chloe Dizon, launched the petition following the suicide of her younger brother Ethan on Jan. 8.
Nicole Moon-Keca with Chloe Dizon at an Edmonton Catholic board meeting Tuesday. (Trevor Wilson/CBC)
Ethan was the second student from St. Thomas More to recently end his life. Chloe Dizon wants to find out if bullying was a factor. Her petition also raises concerns about the interaction between sports academy students and non-academy students.
Her petition struck a chord. Thousands have signed, including more than 40 who said they were also bullied at St. Thomas More or had children or friends who were.
‘Wake-up call’
“It broke my heart but I was also pleased to see a lot of people coming out and sharing their experience,” said Moon-Keca. “It’s a big wake-up call to the Catholic school board … we can’t turn a blind eye, we can’t ignore all of the voices saying it’s a problem.”
Board officials say an extensive investigation that included speaking with all 430 families at the school has found no evidence of bullying. The parents of the other boy who ended his life said their son’s experience at the school was “very positive.”
“He enjoyed going to school every day in a healthy and safe school environment that supported both athletics and academics,” wrote Christina and Frank Paonessa in a statement released through the Edmonton Catholic district. “He benefited greatly from being in a sports academy, and experienced growth and success in many areas because of it.”
‘Two-tier system’
But in interviews with two parents whose children currently attend St. Thomas More, they expressed concerns about bullying and segregation between academy and non-academy students at the school.
“I think there’s a serious problem,” said one father who CBC has agreed not to name to protect the identity of his child.
He said some students end up being pushed around and shunned because of the “two-tier system” where academy and non-academy students attend different classes.
“So how are you supposed to develop a friendship or develop community with your fellow students?” he asked, adding those concerns were shared with school staff.
Moon-Keca agreed joint classes and shared locker areas are an important step forward. She also suggested the creation of a peer support group and training to help teachers better identify and stop bullying. And “as scary as it might be,” she encouraged students to speak out.
“I remember being that junior high student who didn’t want to tell my parents, or tell anyone about what was happening — it’s embarrassing,” she said. “But I strongly encourage everyone to [speak out] because it’s very hard for just a few people to make a move and it takes everyone.”
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