Apparently one parent made the initial complaint to Chair Fife and the other trustees on June 15, 2012. After an unsatisfactory response from both the Board of Trustees and the Director of Education, the parents felt they had no other recourse but to seek a legal opinion on the matter.

It turns out the Board of Trustees, including Chair Fife, held votes in-camera on June 4, 2012 which, according to the letter, should have been held in public:

It is our legal opinion that the Waterloo Region District School Board did violate the Education Act if and when it held a closed meeting during which it voted on a resolution to determine whether Trustee ******** breached the board’s code of conduct.

It is our understanding that this issue currently resides with the Ministry of Education and parents are continuing to seek full transparency and accountability by the Board in this matter.

Download and read the opinion letter.

The Waterloo Region District School Board faces a $3.5-million budget shortfall after the provincial government announced its budget last month.

Catherine Fife, chair of the board of trustees, said most of the impact would fall on technology and transportation budgets. Read Article

By Paige Desmond
In The Cambridge Times, April 19, 2012

 I would like to share my opinions as well as constituents concerns about “recommendations for changes to procedures” for delegations from the Waterloo Region District School Board policy bylaw committee. Read article

By Cindy Watson
In the Cambridge Times, April 19, 2012

Good evening Trustees and chairperson Fife.  Just when I thought I could return to my life as mom of 3 preparing to return to the workplace after mat leave, your discussions regarding the delegation proceedings have called me back here again.  I will begin with a quote from Thomas Jefferson:

“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty”

When I called to register as delegation I was informed that the delegation process had not changed, that there were only discussions regarding it.  I replied that I would be foolish to wait until the process had changed to speak regarding it.  If I did that, I would only have 5 short minutes every 3 months to speak with you regarding the infringement of one of my basic freedoms as a Canadian.  Freedom of speech.  So with the words of Thomas Jefferson in mind I am here before this suggested injustice becomes law.  Your actions have once again called me to duty.

I was disturbed to read an article in the Waterloo Chronicle where one of you was quoted as saying “ what we don’t want to hear is exactly the same thing week after week”  I gave three delegations on extended day.  None of my information was duplicated from night to night.  To suggest that everything I have to say that could be of value to you can be summed up in 5 minutes is ridiculous.  How self-righteous would someone need to be, especially someone in an elected office, to think that they do not require hearing all that someone has to say?   I guess the answer is found in another quote by the same trustee later in the article.  “The board doesn’t and shouldn’t operate by the people out in the community who say what we should be talking about  WOW.  You are not a dynasty.  You are a group of individuals elected by your community to represent their interests in the school system and its management.  Good Governance states that “an effective school board strives for excellent communications with its partners and constituents”.  It states regarding the role of a trustee, that “As a member of the board, an individual trustee is expected to act within the board’s by-laws and be loyal to the board’s decisions. However, as elected persons, trustees are also expected to advocate for the interests of their constituencies.”  How on earth to you call limiting your constituents input advocating?

I had a quick look at the numbers of delegation in 2011 and 2012 up until tonight.  All delegation spots were booked at only 4 Committee of the whole meetings.  Many had zero or 1 or 2.    Do you think the public is foolish enough to believe that this is an attempt to give people an opportunity to speak?

During the extended day debate a fellow parent called in to register.  She was chastised a bit for “registering again” she was told “other people need a chance to speak”.  My friend replied that if the evening was completely booked and another registrant who hadn’t spoke before wished to register, she would gladly give up her spot.  This of course never happened because that evening’s delegations were not fully booked.

To suggest that someone should have their entire delegation prepared at noon on Thursday before the COW is ridiculous.  What if they weren’t registering until Thursday?  They would need to have their speech finalized only to find out that there are no spots available?  That would require that I trust you no to pick and choose who you hear from based on the content of the delegation that is submitted.  You will of course say that would never happen.  I would respond, but it COULD .

And let’s talk T shirts for a minute.  You can say this proposed change doesn’t have anything to do with extended day.   Doubtful.   I’m flattered that one mom’s investment in 20 basic white t’s rattled your cages so much.  Maybe delegates should start emailing pictures of outfits to the chair and she could decide in advance what they wear.  Insulting.  The community will not tolerate being told what to wear.  It’s not like we’re showing up with profanity or swastikas on our shirts.  You are not a private corporation.  You can’t tell me what to wear here anymore than Queens Park can tell me what to wear there.   You’ve gone too far

This board is for the most part too old and too complacent.  You’ve sat in your seat far too long.  You’re not in touch with your community and instead of thinking of new innovative ways to involve them you’re conspiring to muzzle them.  Listen to reason.  Parents don’t WANT to come here.  When you are in danger of making a poor decision, parents show up to rally for what’s right, because they MUST.  Whether it’s extended day or bell times.  With all due respect if you don’t want me to come here and speak, stop giving me a reason to.

One of you referenced the Liberal government in the extended day debate.  You said “they have proven to be unreliable partners” I liked that; let me turn it back on you.   You have proven to be unreliable partners.  We are watching you.  Because history teaches us you must be watched.

Leave the delegation process alone.  It works.

The Waterloo Region District School Board is also struggling to find new ways to maximize its school spaces in southeast Galt, address outdated buildings, as well as reorganize JK-Grade 5 and JK-Grade 6 schools in favour of JK-Grade 8 schools.

Schools involved in the review include Blair Road, Dickson, Highland, St. Andrew’s and Tait Street schools. Read Article

By Lisa Rutledge
Cambridge Times, April 19, 2012

In September 2011, I brought forward a request for the policy and bylaw committee to review the delegation procedures of the Waterloo Region District School Board. At that time, the request did not raise any concerns at the board table. Last month, the committee finally did discuss the current procedures and the resulting minutes of the meeting, which did not include any recommendations to change the procedures, were presented to the board of trustees. Read article

By Ted Martin
In The Record, April 17, 2012

The recent uproar over the board of education to modify the procedural bylaw, to make it more difficult for parents and members of the public to participate and make presentations to the board, is not surprising to me.

As a former trustee from 1990 to 1996, I experienced firsthand the utter disregard for democratic principles of open and accountable government, from not seconding motions presented to the board by sitting members, illegally held closed meetings and sanctions imposed by the board on those who defied the majority. Read Article

By Uwe Kretschmann (former Trustee)
In the Cambridge Times, April 12, 2012

Trustees at the Waterloo Region District School Board are now hatching plans to make it much more difficult for parents to speak their minds at board meetings. Presumably this will cut down on bothersome outbreaks of public opinion. And ensure embarrassing policy reversals such as the extended day debate never occur again. Read article

By Peter Shawn Taylor
in The Record, April 7, 2012

Delegations hoping to have their voices heard by Waterloo Region District School Board trustees may be facing new restrictions.

Among those restrictions — a limit on how often delegates can speak, a requirement for presentations to be submitted in full prior to the meeting and putting an end to unregistered delegates’ ability to speak, even if the majority of trustees vote to allow it. Read Article

Article by Paige Desmond
in the Waterloo Chronicle, April 4, 2012

Local parents are raising a red flag after learning potential changes to the public school board’s delegation policies could quash opportunities to address trustees.

Minutes from a recent Waterloo Region District School Board policy and bylaw committee meeting detail a consideration to modify delegation procedures that would make it more difficult to speak to the board.  Read Article

Article by Lisa Rutledge
in the Cambridge Times, March 30, 2012