Dear Editor,
Re: Clarifying board's motion, Letters, The Record, Oct. 31.
Well, not much has changed at the New Westminster school district since last November's election. There's been another jolting announcement of bad news (this time it was a "surprise" $2.8 million dollar deficit). Next, trustee Michael Ewen proclaimed the district to be in "great shape" and then trustee Lisa Graham followed up with a more realistic assessment of the situation.
Interestingly, this time, a third trustee chimed in, new trustee Jonina Campbell. In a patronizing letter (reminiscent of Ewen's style), the first-term trustee admonished an unnamed colleague for making public comment on board issues away from the board table. Me thinks she doth protest too much.
Publicly elected trustees should publicly address the issues that feed the on-going dysfunction of the New Westminster school board. How else are issues to be resolved, in secret behind closed doors? When three new trustees were elected to the school board during the last election, there was hope that the dysfunction and divisiveness at the New Westminster board table would cease but alas, sadly, Campbell's letter makes it clear that the divisiveness and dysfunction remain.
In response to the recent flurry of public correspondence from trustees, it was suggested that the New Westminster and Burnaby school districts amalgamate, the salient point being ". if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always got." Amalgamation would certainly be one way to end the taxpayers' woes but there is another option: in the next election, voters could end the long-running dynasty of the labour-endorsed trustees and instead vote in a Voice New Westminster majority.
On a related matter, in my opinion, with a $2.8 million deficit, I don't think the school district purse can afford a high-priced spin doctor to "communicate" good news to the public right now. I wonder how many school district staff or program resources would need to be cut to create this new "sunshine" position?
Terry Hilmar, New Westminster
