Catholic school board 'reviewing' name of Grandin school after Kamloops discovery: ECSD

Grandin Catholic Elementary School. (CTV News Edmonton)

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Catholic School Division (ECSD) is reviewing the name of Grandin Catholic Elementary School after the remains of 215 children were found at a former residential school in Kamloops.

The name is under review because Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin, a Roman Catholic priest, helped orchestrate the residential school system in Canada.

“There is no escaping the horror of the discovery of the 215 children in an unmarked grave at the residential school in Kamloops,” said ECSD Board Chair Sandra Palazzo in a statement.

“The discovery has underscored the need for all parts of society, including school jurisdictions, to re-examine the use of namesakes that are tied to the legacy of residential schools.”

The Grandin Elementary School in Edmonton is not the only one with that name in Alberta garnering attention. In Calgary, there are calls for Bishop Grandin High School to get a name change.

The Calgary Catholic School Board said that at the moment, discussions over renaming the school are distracting from prayers for children who died at residential schools.

They also said a decision on renaming the school wouldn’t be made without consulting stakeholders, including Indigenous elders and catholic bishops.

Contact the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll-free 1 [phone] or 24-hour Crisis Line 1 [phone] if you require further emotional support or assistance.

With files from CTV News Calgary's Kevin Green