LETTER: Parent feels local school failed to protect her child

To the editor:

As I lay here, I'm unable to sleep.

This situation with Alliance French Immersion Public School is weighing heavy on me. We leave our children five days a week with these so-called "professionals." We tell our kids they are safe at school. Well over the last year and a bit, I have learned this school is not a safe place for these kids.

Today my daughter did the cross-country relay run. Her group fell behind, which is ok because no one got hurt.

When it was my daughter's turn to start, all the other students from all the schools had already finished. I asked the teacher to make sure there would still be teachers on the trail. I was reassured there would be.

I asked my daughter if she was sure she still wanted to run as she would be the only child on the trail. Of course, being taught you commit, she wanted to.

Again I asked the teacher to be sure there would still be teachers on the trail. Again I was reassured there would be. (in a tone like I was crazy for asking)

My daughter ran off into the bush on the trail. I moved to the finish line to wait for her. As I waited I could see teachers, students, and some buses leave. When my daughter came out of the trail she was all alone.

When I asked her, she confirmed there were no teachers or spotters on the trail. I walked my daughter to get her bag and could see it was gone. Teachers had picked it up and put it in the back of the truck but didn't look for the child that went with the bag.

All the kids were on the bus and they were about to leave. If I wasn't there, my child would have been left alone.

Let's keep in mind just two weeks ago my daughter found out the hard way she is severely allergic to bee stings. Also, it is very well known in the school that she is also an asthmatic. Had she been stung on the run or had an asthma attack (as she did last year at the same race) she would have been alone in a medical crisis.

If I had not been there she would have been left alone at this park while the teachers and students went back to the school. I don't want to think of the outcome if it was a medical crisis. As I'm sure we all know how that would have ended. Without a phone or knowledge of where to go, this could have ended very tragically for my child. 

 I'm pulling my daughter from this school due to it.

Alliance staff need to be held accountable. I don't mean suspension with pay. They don't deserve a paid vacation. They need to be reprimanded properly. 

Thank you

Debbie Haggart
North Bay

Editor's note:  BayToday reached out to Alliance Public School Principal Kyla Kadlec for an explanation of the policies governing events like this and received this reply.

"Near North District School Board does not publicly address matters pertaining to employees, human resources, or students. The safety, well-being and confidentiality of our students is of paramount importance, and concerns are investigated and managed appropriately."