By Bruce Downey, North Bay.
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Dear Ombudsman Ontario
My name is Bruce Downey and I am a concerned parent and former educator with the Near North District School Board. I am but one person in a large group of community members comprised of students, parents, Board employees, municipal elected officials and ordinary citizens who have grave concerns about the decisions of the NNDSB over the last 14 months, particularly in regards to an Accommodation Review Committee’s recommendation and the Board’s subsequent decision.
Our concerns are multi-faceted and have resulted in a lack of faith in our Board - particularly in the Board Chair David Thompson and the Director of Education, Jackie Young. The ARC process was non-transparent, with behind-the-scenes mechanisms intended to manipulate and coerce people, with a complete disregard for the conscientious and thoughtful recommendations put forward by the ARC.
After a 2 1/2 month delay, just two days before the school closure moratorium deadline, a decision that was neither the ARC’s recommendation nor the Board’s own Preferred Option was announced. This decision was fast-tracked without budgets, reports or action plans in place. No reports to review or give any consideration to whatsoever.
Several individuals recently requested an opportunity to speak at the NNDSB’s monthly public Board meeting. They were denied that right by the Chair, David Thompson.
A few weeks ago the Board announced the closing of Widdifield Secondary School would be fast-tracked with the close date set for next year (June 2019). The present principals of the two schools - to which the students of Widdifield will be diverted - admit they do not have the capacity and that, in all likelihood, many of these transferred students will be housed in portables. The consensus from many local Educational leaders, parents, ARC Committee Members, concerned citizens, Board employees, and students is that this present ARC process has been far from transparent. Even the facilitator of the ARC, Paul Addie, indicated that if there was witnessed coercion by a Board employee that was anything but above-board It would jeopardize the entire process.
Trustee Paul Moffat was a well respected Superintendent with our Board. Mr. Moffat calls this, “The new Culture of Control.” Though a Trustee, and a former Interim Director of Education, even he is unable to access specific information such as the mandatory Director’s Report, which the Board waited two years and a half to receive from Ms. Young. Several of the Trustees - Mr. Moffat and some of his peers - feel the ARC process has been flawed and recommend putting any high school closure on hold until they gather all the information they require and apply it appropriately so that they may arrive at a decision that serves our community well for decades to come.
Our board has one recently built new high school (Almaguin Highlands Secondary School in South River) which is 10 million dollars over budget and counting. Another new school in Parry Sound was granted money four years ago and they have not yet turned the sod. This information is sourced from several present Trustees, however, the public - as is the Chair’s intent - are generally unaware. We absolutely cannot sustain more hasty decisions.
The present environment is toxic; the public, ARC Committee members, staff, and students are silenced - or attempted to be silenced. Concerned administrators and staff feel their emails are being monitored. Many concerned citizens don’t know what to do even when following protocols. Our voices are not being heard and, according to board regulations, we should be able to address these concerns at public board meetings.
I know you are very busy with many challenges, however, your sage advice and leadership, if not your much-needed intervention on our behalf, would be greatly appreciated at this time.
Warmest regards,
Bruce Downey
