Raise the Hammer

To the Trustees of the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board - (HWDSB):

Inspired educationists brings hope for the future of children and the environment. They take destroyed objects out of landfills and recreate life: Landfill Harmonics

In Hamilton, our educationists create landfills by destroying perfectly healthy buildings.

Last night, you the 'keepers' of education standards in Hamilton set the bar on "truth & integrity" so low - it may take a generation to rebuild the trust that was lost mindlessly.

Your vote on Sanford School clearly tells children in our city that it is 'ok to lie and deceive' in the name of progress.

Most of you voted in favour of demolishing a perfectly sound building in a reviving neighbourhood, in spite of being fully aware of the very serious lies and deceptions with the 'community engagement' or the lack of it.

In doing so you have clearly violated your 'fiduciary duties'.

“the essence of trusteeship is to hold something, a property, a responsibility, an ideal, in one’s care for a period of time and then pass it on undiminished to those who follow.”

You have also clearly failed to communicate with the local community the "truth" about the Sanford School building.

"Communicating with the community is an important part of the trustee’s role. All board constituents need and have a right to know about what children are learning and how well they are learning.

They also have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent and a right to participate in discussions on the allocation of education resources in their community."

Trustees in other jurisdictions who dared to betray the community trust, have paid dearly. The consequences of doing so are real and swift.

What you the trustees of HWDSB have been doing at Sanford/Cathy Wever clearly amounts to 'advocacy' for the yet unfunded 'green space' and the expansion of a 'community centre' - in spite of strong evidence against it.

Such type of 'advocacy' by School Board trustees is simply not allowed by law.

For those trustees who have voted against the demolition:

"If you as a trustee can’t live with the direction your board is going; resign.

A school board trustee who cannot in good conscience continue to perform that duty has a choice. S/he can resign and regain the elector’s right to challenge the school board in court. What h/she cannot do is remain and abandon his public duty to advance his/her private interest. H/she is unable, in those circumstances, to bring an unbiased mind to the performance of his/her public duty."

Before this issue escalates with the Ontario Minister of Education, there may still be time for you'll to do some serious introspection and weigh the consequences of continuing on the wrong road you have chosen to walk on.

There should be no shame in apologizing and rebuilding the lost trust, when one has clearly lost ones path. In fact that is what all good educationists do.

Leading by example is essentially educating by example.

Mahesh P. Butani

Note: If you believe that the HWDSB is on the wrong path, please copy and email this message - along with your thoughts to the Trustees at:

tim.simmons@hwdsb.on.ca, robert.barlow@hwdsb.on.ca, studenttrustee@hwdsb.on.ca, judith.bishop@hwdsb.on.ca, ray.mulholland@hwdsb.on.ca, todd.white@hwdsb.on.ca, laura.peddle@hwdsb.on.ca, lillian.orban@hwdsb.on.ca, wes.hicks@hwdsb.on.ca, alex.johnstone@hwdsb.on.ca, jessica.brennan@hwdsb.on.ca, karen.turkstra@hwdsb.on.ca, bernie.morelli@hamilton.ca, john.malloy@hwdsb.on.ca, pat.stones@hwdsb.on.ca

Ministry of Education: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/about/conta...

Comment edited by Mahesh_P_Butani on 2012-12-18 15:03:47