Editor:
Maybe I’m “old school” in that I believe in traditional values — and one of these is democracy.
It seems that Williams Lake is sadly lacking in the democratic process.
One obvious example is the new reconfiguration of the high schools. School District 27 administration, strongly influenced by three or four individuals, has decided to make Williams Lake secondary the senior school, and Columneetza secondary the junior school.
Wrong decision. Columneetza, a campus style school, has always been for senior grades, and is fortunate to have the best trades shops in the province, very good instructors, and an apprenticeship program for the trades with TRU.
In an area where trades are very important, these shops and training are very important for the future careers of the students. Many chose to attend Columneetza for this reason.
Now, with reconfiguration, their education will be derailed, with adjustment to the change, shuttle buses for classes, and much less extra time for their own projects.
I also hear that TRU has dropped the apprenticeship program.
There were public meetings for concerned parents to voice their concerns.
These meetings meant nothing. There was no vote involving the students, parents, and teachers who are affected by the decision, even though the online poll showed 75 per cent opposition to making WLSS the senior high school.
A similar scenario occurred some 12 years ago when it was announced that a new $10 million multi-care facility for seniors would be built ... when we had some of the best care facilities for seniors in the province. Town hall meetings were held where many people voiced their opposition.
An overwhelming majority of the community opposed the plan. At that time the predominate influence to push the new Seniors Village was the Liberal wannabes hoping to further their political ambitions and gain favour with Gordon Campbell’s new bureaucracy. At that time there was no vote or referendum, despite the clear majority opposition. More than a dozen of the elders in the community died in the transition months.
Williams Lake needs some changes in its management, and a lot more common sense. Listening to a few persuasive individuals rather than the majority of the community simply does not work.Democracy becomes a thing of the past.
And the people in the community suffer. How easy could this “reconfiguration” have been?
Try Columneetza Senior Secondary School and Williams Lake Junior Secondary School. Done .
Michael Atwood
Williams Lake