One more meeting left in a series of four being held by the Bluewater District School Board on its new communication policy — but no one seems quite sure whether its a ‘public meeting’ or not.
Owen Sound parent Miranda Miller — who’s running as a trustee in the next election — says this board is still guilty of not communicating properly with parents.
She says the first three meetings in Owen Sound, Hepworth and Walkerton weren’t advertised properly and as a result had a very poor turnout.
The meetings are part of the process the school board is implementing after recommendations made last year that they become more transparent and communicate better with parents.
However Education Director Mary Anne Alton contends the meetings were never supposed to be open to the public — but were by invitation only to those who had previous communication issues with the board.
Miller also says the new policy itself — written to help parents with dispute resolution — is confusing and cumbersome and includes four pages of procedures and a flow chart.
She says the policy is being quietly pushed through at the end of the school year despite serious concerns about its scope and relevance as well as lack of consultation.
Miller is also frustrated with the fact that the provincial Ombudsman has no authority to investigate school board issues and she says she hasn’t received much satisfaction going through Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Bill Murdoch.
Tuesday’s meeting on the communication policy is being held at Grey Highlands Secondary School in Flesherton — and trustees say ‘everyone’ is welcome.