There will be no investigation of the Bluewater District School Board or its administration at this time.
That’s according to Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne.
Wynne says a review process is underway at this time by her staff and both the board trustees and the administration are being talked to to correct a situation that has deteriorated recently.
Wynne admits that there has been a lack of communication with concerned parents of school students and the community at large.
She says this needs to be addressed right away.
Wynne says a community needs to know that it’s part of the decision-making process or at the very least, have it explained why certain decisions are being made.
Parents have been complaining about the rotary education system being eliminated in some places without any input from parents or teachers who are doing the teaching.
After repeated questioning, Wynne said she doesn’t want to get into specifics but wants to add support to solve the bigger issues between the board and administration and the community.
She says she’s optimistic they will come to a solution.
Meanwhile, Wynne commented on the local board’s policy of giving students a minimum 20 per cent grade whether or not assignments are handed in or if a student even shows up for class.
She says she doesn’t buy into this system.
She says as a mom, kids have to know what the rules are and to help them achieve their scholastic goals.
Wynne says she worries about giving out the wrong message to students about what they can get away with.
Bruce Grey Owen Sound MP Larry Miller called on the education minister and/or her staff to come to the area and talk, one on one, with board trustees and then move into the schools to talk to teachers and parents of students to get the real story.
Listeners to Bayshore Broadcasting News and Soundingboard on 98 the Beach continued to express frustration over not getting to the bottom of the problem and making any necessary changes.