Vaping revealed as biggest cause of suspensions at Fort St. John school

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Vaping is the biggest cause of suspensions at a Fort St. John school. 

According to North Peace Secondary School’s (NPSS) Framework for Enhanced Learning 2024-25, vaping represented 39.6 per cent of suspensions in that year.

NPSS principal Todd Koponyas said the document tracked 49 suspensions between September 2024 and March 2025. 

Koponyas also noted the data does not distinguish between in-school and out-of-school suspensions.

He explained the high number of suspensions are due to the school’s strict rules against vaping. 

“Every student is told from day one, the day they start at the school, it’s an automatic two-day suspension if they’re vaping,” said Koponyas.

The next largest cause of suspensions was fighting at 31.3 per cent.

The report also drew a difference between fighting and ‘video fights’, which was 4.2 per cent of suspensions. 

Koponyas said video fights were classified differently due to being a bullying issue when videos are posted to Snapchat and other social media. 

“In our code of conduct, students are not to be videotaping other students or staff on campus,” said Koponyas.

More than six per cent of suspensions issued were for drug-taking, primarily marijuana and THC vaping.

Weapons consisting of knives and other items accounted for 2.1 per cent of suspensions.

Koponyas said there were no cases of more dangerous items like firearms reported. 

Other reports of inappropriate behaviour made up 12.5 per cent of suspensions. 

“It can be everything from snide remarks that are inappropriate and rude to other students along the lines of bullying, harassment or even inappropriate behaviour to do with the teacher,” said Koponyas.

Koponyas feels the ratio of suspensions related to the number of students attending the school is a good record. 

“Considering there are 1,150 people on the campus, and there are 49 suspensions, I think that’s actually pretty good,” said Koponyas. 

North Peace Secondary School’s Framework for Enhanced Learning 2024-25 can be viewed below: