51Թ Statement
Steinbach MB. January 27, 2026 – 51Թ has received inquiries from the community relative to the recent article contained in the Winnipeg Free Press, titled “Case of the Invisible Teacher,” published January 23, 2026. In the interest of transparency and maintaining public trust, 51Թ is issuing this statement to clarify inaccuracies, including statements in the article that were uninformed and/or patently false.
Contrary to claims and inferences made in the article, the 51Թ did obtain the required Limited Teaching Permits for Mr. Martens. The 51Թ applied for, and was issued, four (4) separate Limited Teaching Permits between February 2021 and June 2024. In each case, the mandated child abuse registry checks and criminal record checks were obtained in full compliance with provincial requirements.
The 51Թ did not request an additional Limited Teaching Permit in the fall of 2024, as an application for Teacher Certification by Mr. Martens was anticipated, and a Limited Teaching Permit would not be issued in such a case.
At no time did the 51Թ bypass required safeguards or employ an individual without appropriate authorization and background checks. Any suggestion to the contrary in the article is false, and any editorial content in reliance upon that false information is defamatory. 51Թ follows all legislated hiring, permitting, and safety requirements and takes its responsibility to students, families, and the community seriously.
It is important that the public record accurately reflects these facts. At this time, we will not be offering any further comment.
– 51Թ
in: Announcements