It seems to me, that when a community paper posts incendiary words about a member of the community, they should consider checking if there is any truth to it. From the title and throughout the article, little is accurate. Ms. Macdonald is not one of our parents, Ms. Derry was not “booted from Council” and Chris Eustace is not yet an opposition candidate, apparently having not filed his papers yet. I did not say that which I was quoted saying in the caption to your front page picture and it was Chris Eustace who demanded that our security guards call the police. After several requests from him, they complied.
We all have our roles to play within the system and part of my role is to ensure and maintain order at the public meetings of the Council of Commissioners. We have always welcomed and encouraged discussion and participation from the public, however it must take place in a respectful manner; shouting out, disrupting, and personal attacks are not permitted or accepted in any public establishment and definitely not in ours. I can certainly understand how conviction for one’s values or ideas could inspire a passionate conversation but we all need to remain civil and maintain decorum. In the case of Mr. Eustace, who was twice banned for blatantly ignoring the rules of our Council, I have requested a meeting with him so that we can discuss what is acceptable and what is not in regards to the policies and standards that we have in place at Lester B. Pearson School Board. I haven’t heard back but look forward to meeting with him in the near future.
Suanne Stein Day
Chairman
Lester B. Pearson School Board
Editor’s note:
Ms. Mac Donald is a parent. Whether her children currently attend LBPSB schools is immaterial to the allegations that Mac Donald raised before she was forcibly ejected from the premises as demonstrated on video. Ms. Mac Donald is a taxpayer with a legal right to ask questions at any school board meeting.
Mr. Eustace, like Ms. Stein Day is a publicly declared candidate who has submitted his papers. On the issue of security, The Suburban’s audio recording of LBPSB’s April 28 council meeting demonstrates that Ms. Stein Day made a clear statement to director general Robert T. Mills that “Somebody has to call the police”. She may not have been aware that due to the acoustics of the room her comment was clearly audible on Mr. Frank’s digital audio recorder.
According to our eyewitness, Mr. Eustace complied when Stein Day called on security guards to escort him out of the room. The council chamber doors are normally propped open during public meetings. When the guards closed them after escorting Mr. Eustace out, the doors’ electronic locks automatically engaged, sealing off the room.
As to the status of Parent Commissioner Laura Derry, we have received a communication from Ms. Derry, and though it does not address the specific reason for her absence, it does indicate that outstanding issues have been resolved.
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