B.C. principal who spanked student, made anti-Indigenous comments receives suspension

A former principal at a B.C. elementary school has been suspended for three days and ordered to take two educational courses after she spanked a First Nations student, according to a consent resolution agreement posted by the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. 

Pehgee Agnes Boholst Aranas, who was employed by a First Nation at a certified band school, was first reported to the commissioner in December 2023.

It came a month after she spanked a Grade 1 student. The name of the school was not disclosed in the agreement to protect the student's identity.

In January 2024, Aranas signed an undertaking to prevent nearly all physical contact with any student at any school where she was working. 

The First Nation ended her employment at the school in May of that year. 

After signing the consent agreement, her teaching certificate has been suspended for three days and she has agreed to take a course on creating a positive learning environment and another on systemic racism.

"Her actions perpetuated the harmful legacy of physical abuse in Indian Residential Schools and reflected a belief in harmful stereotypes," the commissioner wrote in the consent agreement.

"Her actions harmed [the student], negatively impacted the community's feelings of trust and safety in the education system and did not contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing."

Principal claimed parents approved

In November 2023, after the spanking of the Grade 1 student, an employee — known in the agreement as Employee A — reported Aranas to administrators.

According to the consent agreement, Aranas met with members of the First Nation shortly after the spanking, and falsely claimed the student's parents approved of her actions.

She also "made comments which were inconsistent with truth, reconciliation and healing."

The agreement states that after the meeting, Aranas was placed on leave pending an investigation, and was told not to discuss details of the matter with other employees.

"Aranas did not follow the First Nation's direction, and shared details about what had occurred with [the student] with at least two of her colleagues at the school, telling them that Employee A had reported on her," the agreement reads.

In June 2021, the principal received a written warning for anti-Indigenous comments she made in an email to an employee who was sick.

"Suck it up, buttercup!!! The symptoms are just injection symptoms and not actual sickness! Tough native men like you have survived worse??? Lol," reads the email quoted in the consent agreement.

In addition to a three-day suspension, Aranas agreed she would complete a course about systemic racism in Canada through the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, in addition to a course about creating a positive learning environment.