WELLINGTON: The Halifax Regional School Board (HRSB) representative for the Fall River area told those at an Education Town Hall that what she was hearing from teachers was a “rude awakening” for her.
Bridget Ann Boutilier, who represents Eastern Shore-Fall River (District 1), was in attendance at an Education Town Hall hosted by PC Leader Jamie Baillie last month at the Wellington-Fletchers Lake Station House. There was approximately 75 people in the crowd, many who were teachers themselves. They voiced their concerns and issues they are having in the classroom.
For Boutilier, hearing the concerns was eye opening.
“I had not heard what I’m hearing tonight from the teachers,” said Boutilier. “This is a rude awakening for me.”
Some of the teachers then responded saying they weren’t allowed to say what they were before hand.
“That annoys me,” said a very upset Boutilier. “As a board member I get calls on busing, people not like the principal. There’s been those type of calls. Those we can solve.
“Here a week or two ago I was listening to CBC Radio, I was crying hearing what teachers had to say.”
She said what annoys her is as a female she doesn’t understand how one can’t go further with complaints if they have them.
Boutilier said when she ran into problems with principals she had been told by teachers they couldn’t tell supervisors.
“That shocks me,” she said. “How come these concerns didn’t come out a few years ago? What’s the train that stopped it?”
She went on to relay a story about a “teacher from hell.” She had heard from the N.S. Teachers Union that there were lots of complaints on that teacher but they couldn’t pass that on to HRSB.
“Why? Why could they not pass that on,” she said in bewilderment.
The two hour meeting wrapped up shortly after Boutilier spoke about what she was hearing.
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com
