Yellowknife (Dec 03/04) - A 10-year-old boy is back to class in Dettah after Premier Joe Handley stepped in to help.

The Grade 6 student, who will remain unnamed to protect his privacy, was expelled from Kaw Tay Whee school after an Oct. 7 decision by principal Don Finley, due to disruptive and inappropriate behaviour.

That decision didn't sit well with his father, who has been on a crusade to get his son back into the Dettah school -- or any Yellowknife school -- since then.

After appeals to Yellowknife Education District No. 1 -- which provides administration for the Dettah District Education Authority (DDEA) -- and Yellowknife Catholic Schools failed in late November, he approached the premier.

On Nov. 29, he dropped his son off at Kaw Tay Whee school after the premier assured him the doors would be open, according to the father.

Premier Joe Handley said he indeed spoke with Yk No.1 superintendent Judith Knapp. He said under territorial law, students can only be expelled indefinitely only after a decision is made by their district education authority.

"Until the district education authority does that, then the child has a right to be back in school," said Handley.

While his son's educational saga is now in the hands of the DDEA, his father expressed relief to see him back in class.

"I feel much better about that. They are going to have to follow due process," he said of any further expulsion plans.

According to sections 34-36 of the NWT Education Act, Finley has the power to suspend a student for 20 consecutive school days, but expulsions lie in the hands of the Dettah District Education Authority.

When reached by Yellowknifer, DDEA chairperson Stacey Lermo admitted to not being fully aware of the situation that has been unravelling at the district's only school since October.

She said the boy's case is on the agenda for a Dec. 2 meeting, when the board hopes to come up with a solution.

"We're trying to help him in any way. We feel for this little boy and we don't know what option to take," she said from the school.

While he was at home in Dettah, the boy was given computer programs to study and the help of a teacher's aid if he needed it, according to Lermo.

The boy was enroled in kindergarten to Grade 2 at Weledeh Catholic school before his father pulled him out to put him in Kaw Tay Whee. Further disruptions there prompted a psycho-education assessment ordered by Yk No. 1 in March 2004. The psychologist called for "specialized, intensive treatment" to treat symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

References to inappropriate sexual behaviour and touching labelled him a safety risk for staff and students as well.

Knapp, who acts as superintendent for Kaw Tay Whee as well, suggested the Territorial Treatment Centre in Yellowknife for the boy.

The diagnosis was a first for the boy's parents, who say he doesn't show signs of a behaviourial problem at home.

"I just don't think there is anything prohibiting him from going back to school right now," said his father last week.

During his efforts to re-enrol his son in school, he expressed a preference for the Catholic system.

"I'd like to see YCS open their door and realize every child is special, every child is different," he said after a Nov. 17 appeal to the Catholic school board.

Their decision Nov. 26 bounced the boy back to Dettah and the administration of Yk No. 1.

"There is unfinished business between the parents and the (public) district. We're not interested in getting in the middle of that," said Kern Von Hagen, superintendent of YCS, this week.

"We support what Yk No. 1 is recommending," he said.