Ultimatum for Halifax School Board
It looks like the provincial Department of Education is determined to force maturity on the Halifax Regional School Board. Jamie Muir, the education minister is sending a letter today to the Board telling them that "if the board itself has not been able to improve its process and get back to supporting teaching, learning in the public schools, then we’re prepared to take it over".
Meanwhile, it appears the childish simpering continues from a vocal (and periodically absent) minority that walked out after losing a vote last meeting. Gin Yee, who I voted for, maintains that walking out is
He goes on, capping it off with the pre-pubescent argument (I shit you not):
Meanwhile, it appears the childish simpering continues from a vocal (and periodically absent) minority that walked out after losing a vote last meeting. Gin Yee, who I voted for, maintains that walking out is
one of the few ways a minority group of board members can say something and it has worked somewhat...to which I am forced to reply, "GROW UP!" Perhaps, next municiple election my vote might "walk out", too. If everyone reacted this way a democracy in any real sense would be entirely impossible. Things like this are what make people afraid of proportional representation, I fear. As for its efficacity, if you mean, "this has managed to make us look like a whinging bunch of fools nationally", then yes, it has worked remarkably well.
He goes on, capping it off with the pre-pubescent argument (I shit you not):
...we weren't the first group of people doing it.I wish I was making this up. I really, really do.
you know, this just goes to prove my privately-held theory that the lower the level of governence, the lower the level of maturity shown by its members - of course, that's been honed by decades of observing St John's City Council, which can hardly hold a meeting without breaking into a argument on the level of a USENET Flame War. Of course, that could just be a local phenomenon - I'm sure HRM's Council meetings are models of decorum and civility.
Posted by
Dan |
Tue Feb 28, 02:17:00 PM
I remember Doug saying something to that effect, too. I had a feeling that there was something deeper that caused all of this; grown adults don't often go off the deep end over seating arrangements without it being at the end of a line of provacation.
After doing a bit of searching and reading there indeed appears to be - go read the Coast article that I linked to. The article is obviously written from a starkly different viewpoint, far more sympathetic to Doug Sparks than the other press has been, and so might be just as prone to error. But it is nice to see the view from the other side of the argument.
Posted by
kevvyd |
Tue Feb 28, 04:19:00 PM