On September 10, 2019 Karen Matthews was to speak at a Near North District School Board meeting on a matter of concern to her as a parent; the closure of Widdifield Secondary School. In a last minute move by the school board, Karen's name was removed from the roster of presenters due to a school board by-law that prevents board employees from expressing their views relative to their employment or professional interests.
Karen replied to the removal with; "My presentation is not related to casual part-time lunch supervising and I have no professional interests. I am speaking as a concerned parent and the precedent has been set by the Board in allowing me to present on a number of occasions. Please add me back into the list of presenters." Her request was denied.
Karen attended the meeting as a concerned parent and attempted to voice her views, informally, at the end of the meeting. Her message was not well received by school board members.
On September 18, 2019, Karen attended her son's school to supervise lunch and her son's principal, following orders from the Near North Board, notified her that she had been terminated from her position.
To make matters worse, Karen has since been banned from being on any Near North District School Board properties, including the one her own 11 year old son attends. She can't even attend parent teacher interviews! No more parent council meetings! No more bake sales! No more Christmas concerts! And no more time spent with the children she has been caring for over the years.
Links to media:
https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/school-activist-faces-roadblock-in-making-a-presentation-to-board-trustees-1685871
https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/lunch-supervisor-fired-for-speaking-up-at-school-board-meeting-1700082
https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/board-bans-lunch-lady-from-all-school-properties-threatens-police-action-1702711?fbclid=IwAR0Qs03QzsmVHi6-maWMYLt584pLmOl8KWARxoKgZxet5RZeenA-bJ4lKzU
Please join me in helping to give Karen Matthews her job back. We all have a voice and together we can support her in her fight to regain her position and access to her son's school.
Link to Karen's message: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10162306063890858&id=538295857
Update #24 jaar geleden
A rally we held at the School Board office last night drew media attention:
https://www.nugget.ca/news/local-news/school-board-employees-firing-protested
I am trying to figure out who the best person/organization is to present this petition to. If you have ideas and would like to send them my way, please email me at cherylchatelaine@hotmail.com
Thank you all for your support!
Update #14 jaar geleden
If you would like to read Karen's message that she was supposed to deliver, feel free to follow this link to her public Facebook post.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10162306063890858&id=538295857
Thank you all for your support!
