Vandalized Sturgeon Falls school teepee repaired, rebuilt
A large tepee that was vandalized in the backyard of a Sturgeon Falls school was rebuilt Friday morning.
The teepee is located at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Elementary School.
It had just been purchased when it was vandalized twice in a matter of days. A pole used to support it was snapped and the teepee’s canvas was slashed open. The damage was first reported on June 3.
"It was a tough day when we found our teepee vandalized," said the school’s principal, Stacey Malette.
Malette said the community quickly threw its support behind the school. Arctic Canvas, a boat cover supplier, offered to patch the canvas.
Friday morning, school officials, students and Indigenous leader George Couchie, who teaches Indigenous culture, rebuilt it.
Two young people have been identified as being involved and a 12-year-old has been charged with three counts of mischief in connection to the incidents. However, because one of the accused is under 12 years old, they cannot be charged.
Police said they have spoken to the kid and their parents/guardians.
"After this happened, the principal -- who does a fantastic job-- talked about maybe we should do some cultural teachings in the town and to other schools," said Couchie, who wanted to emphasize the actions do not represent Sturgeon Falls as a whole.
Couchie also said he was sad after first hearing of the damage and is hoping the young vandals reflect on their actions.
"It’s always a teachable moment. We live in a world of racism as Indigenous people and so we need to move beyond that," he said.
"Somebody said, 'What happens if somebody cuts this again?' and I said 'We just sew it again.'"
The school has a student population of just over 200 and Malette said close to half of the students are Indigenous.
"For all our students, the teepee represents our work and celebration of all the work we've done around revitalizing the culture, language and history of Indigenous peoples," she said.
Malette and Couchie said they are thankful for the community for its support.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.