To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing this letter as a concerned citizen of Owen Sound faced to deal with the final decision made by the Blue Water District School Board to close the OSCVI as a high school and amalgamate the 2 public high schools.
Perhaps I could choose to accept it after hearing at the City Council meeting April 27th that BWDSB has completed their accommodation review process within the stated guidelines. Also stated was that the city does not have jurisdiction to make decisions for its education as there is an elected group of "trustees" that have done what is truly best for us. We were told they have acted doing what the community wanted. I guess I should be satisfied.
As a parent of a current grade 10 student at OSCVI, I could not help but notice a print out left by Holly onthe kitchen island yesterday morning. From Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5:
"She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing"
Yes my daughter is deeply saddened and feeling helpless by a hasty and deceptive decision made by BWDSB to end the school life of the OSCVI.
I am learning unbelievably as the days unfold that an ARC decision made by BWDSB can not be overturned by a city council or even the minister of education as they have been entrusted in a position that will protect the best interests of our children and their educators. One of those educators has shared with me that the current demeanour of the OSCVI's staff and students is the same as when they heard the news that one of their beloved students had lost his battle with cancer a few years back.
We have been told we may "review" the process for which the decision by the BWDSB was made. Reviewing the process by which cancer takes a life will never return an individual to us. We at least hope harmful risk factors that lead to premature death are within our right to choose to remove. We must look forward with hope as the feeling of desperation eases and we continue to stand with others who share our faith and integrity. They cannot take that away. We as parents and a community must be ever present for our children where the BWDSB has clearly failed. They have moved on giving the thumbs up with Liz Sandals in Meaford for reporters.
I am saddened to muse that a review process takes years. My daughter will be in post secondary school and the trusted members of BWDSB will strategically be safe by some means that I don't even want to know.
I dropped my daughter off at the Owen Sound market again at 8AM this morning (April 30th) to stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow students. They are still collecting signatures for a petition to take to Liz Sandals regardless of hearing she does not want it. They still believe they have rights and that they have been violated by someone who was supposed to protect them regardless of being told this is not true. Holly and I are still getting on the bus to Queen's Park on Monday
I remain a concerned parent and citizen. I am sending this letter to you and many others as I have asked to let you know the process empowered to the BWDSB has failed my family and community. May any review of the BWDSB be hastened and worthy.
Sincerely,
Karen Melsom
