St. John Paul II Catholic School in Grande Prairie was placed on a hold-and-secure on Oct. 16 after staff received a threatening email, the Grande Prairie Catholic School District (GPCSD) said. Police determined the message did not pose a credible danger and the protocol was lifted by early afternoon, but the incident highlights lingering tensions following a student-organized walkout earlier in the week.
What happened and how authorities responded
The GPCSD said the school initiated the safety procedure when the email was received. The district praised the prompt response of the Grande Prairie Police Service (GPPS), which worked with the RCMP to investigate the origin of the message by tracing the IP address and sender information.
"We are extremely grateful to the Grande Prairie Police Service (GPPS) for its prompt, diligent, and professional response."
Police and the school board have not publicly confirmed whether the email was connected to the Oct. 13 student protest or whether the sender was known to the school community. The hold-and-secure was lifted after investigators concluded there was no credible threat.
Background: student protest and online controversy
On Oct. 13, roughly 120 students and supporters staged a walkout along an Arbour Hills walking trail, more than half a kilometre from St. John Paul II, to protest comments by a social studies teacher, Amy Davidson, about the Kamloops Indian Residential School findings.
Davidson had shared a social media post from Maxime Bernier, leader of the People's Party of Canada, on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Bernier's post read in part: "Let's tell the truth: no bodies were found in Kamloops. The residential-school 'genocide' claim is a hoax." Davidson defended her position online, writing that the Kamloops "mass grave" was false and asserting there was no evidence of genocide of Indigenous people.
Local impact and context
The episode has raised questions about classroom discourse, community safety and how schools navigate conflicts that spill into public protest. The walkout itself featured signs reading messages such as "Don't let the uneducated educate us" and statements affirming that "The Kamloops mass graves are real." School leaders and law enforcement have so far limited public comment on the link, if any, between the protest and the later threatening email.
Officials have not disclosed whether the person who sent the email is connected to the school, students or the earlier protest. The GPPS and the RCMP carried out technical tracing of the message before deciding the situation did not require extended lockdown measures.
Key timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sept. 30 | Teacher shares post from Maxime Bernier online (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) |
| Oct. 13 | Approximately 120 students and supporters stage a walkout near St. John Paul II |
| Oct. 16 | School activated hold-and-secure after receiving a threatening email; police investigate and lift protocol same day |
Community members contacted by the school district and police will likely be monitoring next steps closely. The incident underscores the challenge for school administrators in balancing free expression, classroom responsibilities and student safety when controversies emerge.
- Safety measures: Hold-and-secure activated and lifted after police investigation.
- Community response: Student walkout of roughly 120 people on Oct. 13 over teacher's online statements.
- Ongoing questions: Authorities have not confirmed a link between the email and the protest or whether the sender was acquainted with the school.
The Grande Prairie Catholic School District and law enforcement have so far provided limited details beyond the immediate response. Parents, students and staff will be awaiting any further findings from the GPPS and the RCMP about the origin of the threatening message and whether any additional steps are required to reassure the school community.
