Dinn Questions Approval of Flawed Indigenous Education Materials
- NL NDP
- Mar 28
- 2 min read
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2025
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) is concerned after hearing from Francophone teachers that government-purchased booklets from 2023 were ordered to be destroyed due to numerous inaccuracies about Indigenous history and culture.
While Dinn acknowledges the department recognized the errors and pulled the booklets from rotation, he is demanding answers on how the government allowed these deeply flawed booklets to be approved, questioning how so many inaccuracies went unnoticed. He insists that more must be done to ensure curriculum materials are properly vetted by the necessary parties before money is wasted.
“These books contained harmful stereotypes about Indigenous communities, the very thing Indigenous education is meant to dismantle. This is completely unacceptable,” said Dinn. “This isn’t just about the money, though spending over $200,000 on educational resources only to destroy them a year later due to inaccurate information is a shocking display of waste.
“How did these booklets get approved in the first place? Did anyone bother to consult Indigenous communities before putting this resource in the hands of teachers?” Dinn asked. “It’s good that the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee caught these errors, but the government should have had a process in place before these booklets reached the classroom.
“It’s deeply concerning that this happened at the same time the Minister of Education spoke about changing the curriculum, downplaying social studies by making it modular,” said Dinn. “There has never been a more critical time to educate our students about the history of this country, whether it’s trade or more importantly, the injustices faced by Indigenous people and communities. I have to wonder if this government considers these subjects less important, and that should be a massive red flag for everyone.”
“We need to make sure that there is due diligence when it comes to the curriculum entering our schools. Teachers deserve better, students deserve better, and Indigenous communities deserve better.”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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