PEI Liberals Call for Urgent Action Following Release of Jenkins Report on School Safety

Prince Edward Island Liberal Party Leader Robert Mitchell and Carolyn Simpson, MLA for Charlottetown–Hillsborough Park and Opposition Education Critic, are responding to today’s release of the long-awaited Jenkins Report into school safety and the handling of complaints and incidents of staff sexual misconduct by the Department of Education and Early Years and the education system.

The report, authored by the former Chief Justice David Jenkins, provides a sobering assessment of systemic failures, policy gaps, and inconsistent responses that have undermined trust in the education system and left students, parents, and educators without the clarity and assurance they deserve.

“We want to begin by thanking Justice Jenkins for his thorough and thoughtful work,” said Mitchell. “This was not an easy review, but it was a necessary one. Islanders needed an honest accounting of what went wrong and this report delivers that.”

The report confirms what many families, students, and educators have been saying for years: that there have been irregularities in policies, procedures, communication, and real-time responses to complaints, including a lack of centralized tracking, unclear reporting thresholds, and inconsistent escalation of concerns.

“The interim measures announced through a ministerial directive last fall didn’t go far enough then, and they don’t go far enough now,” said Carolyn Simpson. “When it comes to student safety, the bar must be higher. This government should be doing everything in its power and not the bare minimum.”

Simpson added that too many parents and students have shared stories of coming forward with concerns only to receive little or no response.

“We heard directly from Islanders who felt ignored, dismissed, or left without answers,” she said. “That erodes trust, and once trust is gone, it is incredibly hard to rebuild.”

The Liberals also pointed to a pattern of instability and mismanagement that has plagued government the past number of years.

“This is a government that has had four premiers in a single year and four education ministers, including Premier Lantz, since coming to power,” said Mitchell. “That kind of turnover creates confusion, weakens accountability, and makes it harder to ensure consistent leadership in a system where children’s safety must be the top priority.”

The Liberals are also raising serious concerns about the timing of this entire process. The first incident involving Matthew Craswell occurred in June 2023, yet it is now February 2026 and Islanders are only now being provided with a full accounting of what happened within the system. That delay is unacceptable given the seriousness of the issue and the impact on students, families, and school communities. Further, the Liberals question the decision to release the report just one day after the swearing-in of the province’s newest premier, which raises legitimate concerns about transparency and accountability.

Mitchell and Simpson confirmed they will be requesting a full briefing with Justice Jenkins to better understand the report’s findings and recommendations and to ensure nothing is overlooked.

“We will continue to hold this government to account,” said Simpson. “But more importantly, we will push for action that goes above and beyond the recommendations in this report to ensure the safety of all students.”

“Islanders deserve an education system they can trust,” Mitchell concluded. “Protecting our kids starts at the top. It requires leadership, transparency, and a willingness to act decisively. A Liberal government will put forward a plan Islanders can count on because when it comes to student safety, anything less is unacceptable.”

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/sites/default/files/94ab/Report_StudentSafety.pdf.pdf