Alberta Mennonite School Teacher Charged with Assault After Disciplining Student

A teacher from a Mennonite school in Alberta has been charged with assault after a boy was allegedly hit with an automotive serpentine belt earlier this year. Eva Bueckert, 37, of Cleardale, was charged with assault with a weapon following a parent’s report to police in May that their child was struck with a belt at school, resulting in bruising and red marks on the thigh. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the school and found a machine belt and documents related to disciplinary practices that parents sign.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigators say corporal punishment with “the strap” was part of discipline at Blumenort Mennonite School, Wilson Prairie Mennonite School and Tompkins Mennonite School. Sommerfeld Mennonite Church, a conservative group, has congregations named Blumenort, Wilson Prairie and Tompkins Landing. Cpl. Scott Coleman said in a Royal Canadian Mounted Police statement that using physical force to discipline children is not protected simply because it is part of a school’s policies or traditions.

Police allege the practice was used at all three schools, which are being investigated in conjunction with Alberta’s Ministry of Education and Childcare. “We want the public to understand that these forms of corporal punishment are criminal offences and will be treated as such,” he said. In a statement to CBC News, Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the safety and well-being of students is his top priority. “All schools in Alberta must operate in compliance with the law, including the Criminal Code of Canada,” he said.

Following information provided through the RCMP investigation, his ministry is reviewing the situation to determine whether further action may be required. The incident has raised questions about the intersection of religious tradition and legal standards in educational settings. The Anabaptist tradition, which includes Mennonite, Amish, Church of the Brethren and Hutterite communities, often emphasizes nonviolence and peace, yet some congregations have historically used corporal punishment as a form of discipline.

The case highlights the tension between cultural practices and modern legal frameworks. As the investigation continues, it underscores the need for clear boundaries between religious expression and criminal behavior. Proverbs 18:17 reminds us that “the first to present his case seems right, until another comes forward and examines him.” This case calls for careful examination of both the practices and the consequences.

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