Teacher’s family sues

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This article was published 15/08/2017 (2443 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The family of teacher Darcee Gosselin has sued the St. James-Assiniboia School Division over her death while supervising a field trip to Spruce Woods Provincial Park.

The family hopes the legal action can bring her parents and siblings the answers they’ve sought since the 40-year-old collapsed and died on one of the hottest days of 2016, her mother, Vicki Gosselin, said Wednesday.

“We still don’t know a lot of details. We get snippets here and there,” she said.

While the legal action seeks damages of at least $40,000, the family hasn’t decided on an exact amount, she said. The lawsuit alleges the division did not provide appropriate training or set safety standards before the field trip on May 5, 2016.

“That’s what we understand, from the workplace safety and health report. They didn’t train the students either,” Vicki Gosselin said.

St. James-Assiniboia SD said Thursday morning that, “At this time, the division respectfully declines to comment further regarding this tragic situation. “

Darcee Gosselin is believed to be the first Manitoba teacher to die while supervising a field trip.

The beloved 40-year-old John Taylor Collegiate teacher collapsed and died in a sandy area, four hours into the trip. 

The family is still devastated, but told the Free Press last month in the first interview they gave since Darcee’s death that they’re also angry their questions to education officials have gone unanswered for more than a year, and angry that heat policies for field trips have not changed in ways that could save another teacher or a student.

When two young students died on field trips in the last 15 years, there were extensive investigations, a three-week inquest, and a massive overhaul of rules and processes. After the death of Darcee, there’s been nothing like that.

The family has not heard anything further from anyone in authority in public education since the Free Press published its interview, Vicki Gosselin said.

She said the family hopes the legal action will put officials on the witness stand in court to finally reveal everything they know about their daughter’s death.

And above all, they want people to know who Darcee was, how she died, and why her death should force systemic change to save others.

Her students affectionately called Darcee Mama G and the Wizard of Goz. She coached teams, was the teacher supervisor for safe grad every year and wasn’t even initially involved in the field trip, but stepped up when there was no other female teacher willing to go.

The autopsy was conducted the next day. Vicki got a call from a medical examiner, who told her Darcee’s heart, blood and other physical conditions checked out fine. Environment Canada lists the high that day in Brandon-Carberry at 33.7 C.

“The woman was so apologetic. She told us it was heat stroke, and could have been prevented,” Vicki said.

The parents have never been officially told precisely where Darcee died, but they’ve had a letter from the mother of a student who was at Darcee’s side when she collapsed. Darcee had a hat, had water left and even had cucumbers in her backpack for added hydration.

The Manitoba School Boards Association’s extensive safety guidelines and policies make little reference to hot-weather activities. The rules primarily cover gym classes and events such as track and field meets. 

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca