A school division in northeastern Alberta is apologizing for an online social studies question that asked students about the “positive effect” of residential schools.
A photo of the multiple-choice question was posted on social media by an outraged student, asking: “A positive effect of residential schools was” followed by four possible answers.
The choices were: children were away from home; children learned to read; children were taught manners; children became civilized.
“I can’t take this back, so much that I wish I could, I take responsibility for it and for that I am truly sorry,” Glen Brodziak, superintendent of the St. Paul Education Regional Division, told CBC News on Thursday.
The questionnaire was created by the Alberta Distance Learning Centre, Brodziak said.
Brodziak said the student is taking a social studies class by correspondence with St. Paul Alternate Education Centre.
The principal will reach out to the student’s family, Brodziak said.
Alongside the photo the student wrote: “My teacher got me all the way f–ked up if he actually expects me to answer this s–t. F–king disgusted.”
St. Paul is 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.