Vancouver mom wants answers after son recounts having clothes changed by man in school basement

A Vancouver mom is rattled after her son came home from school wearing completely different clothes – saying a man took him to change in a basement closet.

A Vancouver mother is demanding answers from her son’s elementary school and the Vancouver School Board.

Jasmine Barahona’s six-year-old neurodivergent son came home from school Wednesday in a different outfit than the one he wore that morning, prompting questions.

“He said, a man took him to the basement and changed him in a closet,” Barahona said. “I immediately tried to hold my cool.”

Barahona’s son came home wearing new pants, shoes and underwear.

His white shirt was dirty and he was wearing a football jersey on top of it.

‘I want justice’

Barahona said she called the school that evening.

A meeting was then set-up with the principal of χpey̓ Elementary in East Vancouver, the following day.

Barahona attended the meeting with her family and an advocate from the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.

She said the principal wasn’t able to provide her with many answers.

“I want you to tell me who was in the basement with my child,” she said.

“That’s it. That’s all I want, and if something did go further than what we’re assuming, then I want justice.”

The meeting concluded with Barahona deciding it would be best for a psychologist to meet with her son.

Nearly one week since the incident occurred, that meeting is yet to take place.

“This school is primarily Indigenous folk and families who come from all types of backgrounds, all types of trauma, and so we have to handle things with extreme grace,” she said.

“And what I saw, was no grace.”

Barahona said, she eventually learned through the principal that a substitute was working that day.

CTV News spoke with another parent whose daughter attended χpey̓ Elementary.

She said her daughter experienced a similar incident when a teacher changed her in the basement.

She said she never received a phone call from the school to let her know this happened and eventually pulled her daughter out of the school.

School board response

CTV News asked the VSB for an interview but no one was made available.

In a statement, the board confirmed it received an inquiry raising this concern and is looking into it.

“Student safety and well-being is always the top priority, and we take concerns very seriously,” the statement continued.

Const. Tania Visintin with the Vancouver Police Department, confirmed that the VPD is working with the school board to gather additional information.

Barahona said a school liaison office will be conducting an interview with her six-year-old.

Meanwhile, her son hasn’t been back to class since last Thursday.

He’s only been enrolled at the school for about one month and his mother said, she doesn’t want to move him again.

“Why does he have to be punished?,” she asked. “Why is his routine uprooted? Why isn’t the school being held accountable for that as well?”