Editor: I feel equally compelled, as did Hattie Hogeterp in her letter 鈥淟eadership important for the board鈥�, (The Times, Nov. 15), to correct misconceptions. First, the deficit number is currently $13.5 million. It occurred two sessions ago and was discovered during the last session. The Auditor General report outlines mistakes that should have been caught by those in charge two sessions ago.
A local newspaper editor referred to the board of the time as 鈥渞emaining oblivious to the leaking financial ship.鈥� The repayment of the $13.5 million began this year. It will cost the equivalent of approximately $650 per school age child to be paid back over the next four years.
Hogeterp states that the mistakes that led to this deficit could not be attributed to the board. Well, if they were not in charge, who was? Is the board not elected to serve in the public interest and take care of everything under their educational umbrella? Is the budget under their educational umbrella? The Auditor General certainly seemed to think so in his report. I am figuring that the electorate will make their opinion know on this matter come Saturday.
Second, on Kari Medos' leadership, this is spoken by an outsider to the situation. Before voting, it would be best to check with those parents, staff and students who were involved in the amalgamation. They spoke well during the trying time and it was not in support of her leadership style.
Medos spearheaded the Keep LSS, Close HDS campaign under the guise that it was a PAC movement. It was not. One of her 鈥渒ey roles鈥� was to turn her back on LSS French Immersion parents, students and staff as they fought for keeping their program open at the school.
As PAC president, it was in her mandate to support this LSS group not work to see them sent adrift. As PAC president, she created a culture of negativity and dislike as amalgamation talks took place, something that bled into the first year of the two schools together at LSS. Then she left, not to be seen again.
On Saturday, the electorate will decide if this is what they see as good leadership qualities for our district. Changes were not implemented in a positive way until the following year, after Medos had left, when the new PAC under Bruce Northway applied for and received from the board the approval to create a parent initiated structure, the Community Roundtable, in order to bring all stakeholders together. Peace was created from this structure that lasts to this day.
Finally, in deference to Hogeterp, no one is without ties. Those that she supports have been backed by other organizations including provincial politicians, evidenced in a large ad just before the end of the last election campaign. So who would you trust? The word of the teachers who are on the front lines and care for our kids daily, or the word of the politicians in Victoria.
Stop later this week and look at your child鈥檚 teacher 鈥� do you trust him or her to speak on behalf of the children and education in general? On Saturday the vote may well come down to who you trust more, those who band around Hogeterp and take their support from provincial politicians or those that consider the opinions of all stakeholders, including those of our teachers.
B. McCloy,
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