You can always tell when the press gets close to the truth — politicians start whining.
A good example is the recent letter (Penticton Western News, Oct. 24, Smear campaigns make it difficult for candidates), by school trustee Linda Van Alphen, complaining about inaccuracies and taunts by the press during the campaign. Maybe if the school board answered legitimate questions during their term they wouldn’t be expected to answer them during an election campaign.
Instead, they collectively hide behind a one spokesperson policy, which makes them basically unaccountable. If you can’t stand and speak intelligently for the actions you take, which affect the people you are supposed to represent while in office, then stop warming the seat.
For 10 years the school board has been silent and unaccountable for its actions going back to the destruction of the school auditorium at Pen High. It was recognized as the best cultural centre Penticton was ever lucky enough to ever have.
The proof that the old guard glued to the seats on the school board has learned nothing from this mistake was clear when Ginny Manning, trustee for West Bench, voted to close West Bench School — the cultural hub of that community. Ten years later that same mindset still exists like some dinosaur from another age as Van Alpen betraying Summerlander’s trust voted to close Trout Creek, despite the mini boom going on in that district.
The dinosaurs at School District 67 have learned nothing from experience. They make the same mistakes over and over again and get away with it because they refuse to answer any questions at meetings and don’t reply to emails. They speak with only one voice; the rest weasel out. I believe the unhealthy, unaccountable atmosphere created at the school board discourages any qualified trustees from staying after one uncomfortable term; good examples being Bill Bidlake; Tom Siddon; David Perry; Tracy St. Claire and Linda Beaven.
A good example of the Peter Principle is the 23 per cent raise the trustees gave to the superintendent. The truth of that only came out at the all candidates meeting in Penticton when we found out the school board was so mis-managed that they don’t prepare for contingencies like encouraging skills upgrading resulting in a so-called irreplaceable superintendent holding the board ransom if she should threaten to leave.
Elvena Slump
Penticton