The roleof families in supporting children will be the focus of a presentation by Dr. Martin Brokenleg at the Xit’olacw School on Friday, Sept. 12.
The Howe Sound
School District Parent Advisory Committee, Howe Sound School Board and the
Lil’wat Nation are inviting all members of the Sea to Sky community to listen
to Dr. Brokenleg, director of Native Ministries and Professor of First Nations
Theology at the Vancouver School of Theology.
“There are signs
that the alienation between children and adults is greater now than at any
point in history,” according to Dr. Brokenleg. “Having lost our tribal and
village roots, many North Americans live in increasingly depersonalised
environments and growing numbers of children grow up without secure attachments
to care givers. Schools hope to find discipline and order by resorting to zero
tolerance bureaucratic discipline policies and by excluding children who most
need stability that could be offered by concerned educators. In the face of
many pressures confronting today’s families, parents need concrete strategies
for raising caring, respectful, responsible children.”
Dr. Brokenleg is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South
Dakota and practices the spiritual traditions of his people. He holds degrees
in psychology and theology. He is author of many articles on First Nations
culture and on youth at risk.
This community
event will be hosted by the Xit’olacw School (Mount Currie New Site), starting
at 5 p.m. Local First Nations and community groups will provide dinner. A
Welcome Ceremony at 6:30 will begin the second part of the evening where Dr.
Brokenleg will speak on the topic, “Families: Circles of Courage”.
Organizers ask that people travelling from outside the Pemberton/ Mt. Currie/Darcy/CulCum Valley RSVP to cjewett@shaw.ca to ensure sufficient food is prepared for the dinner.
