Public Education in 2020

bob the dog

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Aug 14, 2020
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News about the Ontario Teachers Pension fund being one of the largest and most influential institutional investment funds in the country is another example of where public education dollars flow away from being an investment in the education of the next generation.

Talk about an opportunity for AI to save billions but they will never let it happen. Hearing Manitoba is consolidating 37 regional school divisions into one provincial group is a long overdue step in the right direction. It must have been quite the annual convention. Again nothing going towards educating children.
 
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bob the dog

Council Member
Aug 14, 2020
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Ontario calling it a day and going to remote learning for elementary and secondary schools. Typical that they schedule it to start after spring break cause the system is so in need of a rest.

The idea of having an educator try to maintain some form of teacher / student relationship with the students at home is the same idiocy that decided to start the year back in September. Students are the least of priorities of the school system.

I hope they go to remote learning permanently or at least until it is proven to be less effective than the current system.
 
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spaminator

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Teacher with hand in pants seen during Bowmanville online class
School board, police looking into video clip posted online

Author of the article:Bryan Passifiume
Publishing date:May 03, 2021 • 16 hours ago • 1 minute read • 24 Comments
A screengrab from a clip of a virtual classroom session at St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School in Bowmanville shows a man with his hand down his pants.
A screengrab from a clip of a virtual classroom session at St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School in Bowmanville shows a man with his hand down his pants.
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School officials say they’re “aware” of a video of a teacher with his hand down his pants during a virtual classroom session of a Bowmanville high school last week.

The nine-second clip, which has been viewed by the Toronto Sun, shows the screen of an Apple laptop logged into a virtual classroom for St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School in Bowmanville.

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One of the participants’ video boxes, labelled with the name of a current St. Stephen teacher, shows a man holding a smartphone and balancing an Xbox One controller on his leg, his hand in motion down the front of his pants. His face is not shown.

The video clip has been shared widely on social media.

A letter dated May 2 sent to parents from St. Stephen principal Trevor Poechman said officials were made aware Friday of the video “depicting inappropriate behaviour by a teacher during a break in virtual classroom activities.”

“The school and the board are taking this matter very seriously and have responded appropriately to address the matter,” the letter said.


A spokesperson for the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board said they’re unwilling to comment on what action was taken due to privacy concerns, but said a new teacher was immediately assigned to the class in question.

Durham Regional Police told the Sun they’re aware of the video and have assigned an investigator to look into it.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume
 

Dixie Cup

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Sep 16, 2006
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Homeschooling is commonly used as a way to indoctrinate children into social conservatism.

It's not gonna fly in Ontario unless there are specific, publicly funded qualification criteria that parents must follow in order to become certified teachers.

You would then need to have home teachers regularly submit test results that show they adhered to regulatory standards and curriculum.
Home schoolers have to follow the same curriculum as they do in a "physical" school; they are able to be more flexible though as to how the information is taught. When home schooling, you can't simply teach what you want. Testing is done to confirm the student has learned what he was supposed to just as kids are in class.

The voucher system simply makes it easier for parents to decide where they want their kids to go school, whatever their choice. It's a good system and needs to be an option for parents. The Education corporation doesn't want that, however, because it's likely there would be "competition" for students and that just won't do.
 
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petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Home schoolers have to follow the same curriculum as they do in a "physical" school; they are able to be more flexible though as to how the information is taught. When home schooling, you can't simply teach what you want. Testing is done to confirm the student has learned what he was supposed to just as kids are in class.

The voucher system simply makes it easier for parents to decide where they want their kids to go school, whatever their choice. It's a good system and needs to be an option for parents. The Education corporation doesn't want that, however, because it's likely there would be "competition" for students and that just won't do.
This is it: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/grades.html
 
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spaminator

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TDSB suing fire department, police for $90M over York Memorial blaze
Author of the article:postmedia News
Publishing date:May 05, 2021 • 25 minutes ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
Firefighters and Toronto Police don respirators and masks as Toronto Fire battles a 6 alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in 2019.
Firefighters and Toronto Police don respirators and masks as Toronto Fire battles a 6 alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in 2019. PHOTO BY STAN BEHAL /Toronto Sun files
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Nearly two years to the day of a massive fire that destroyed York Memorial high school, the Toronto District School Board has filed a $90-million lawsuit.

The suit, filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Wednesday, alleges that Toronto’s fire department, police services and the Ontario Fire Marshal did not put the scene under a proper fire watch, which led to the “rekindling” of the earlier smaller fire the next day.


The lawsuit also alleges that incident reports were “modified in an effort to suppress evidence of negligence” by the fire department.

The City of Toronto issued a statement on Wednesday in response.

“The City does not normally comment on matters that are before the courts, but is doing so regarding this matter, after reviewing the unfounded allegations against City staff contained within the TDSB’s claim,” the statement said.

“City staff cooperated fully and professionally in the investigation of the fires at York Memorial Collegiate. Staff took all appropriate steps to preserve evidence, and allegations in the claim that suggest otherwise are patently untrue and irresponsible. It is unconscionable that the TDSB and its insurers would impugn the integrity of Fire Chief Matthew Pegg and other Toronto Fire Services staff in this manner,” read the statement.

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“The City will file its statement of defence with the courts in due course and looks forward to vigorously defending against these allegations.”

The fire occurred in May of 2019 at the 90-year-old school, which was “largely destroyed by fire on May 7.”


The suit alleges that the fire, which was suspected to be arson, was said to be “under control” by Fire Chief Matthew Pegg and the scene was cleared and not secured overnight.

“The TFS did not post a fire watch at the building. The TFS assumed that the fire was out and that a fire watch was not required,” the statement of claim reads.

It is alleged in the suit that for various reasons, including the age of the building and the substances within, “there was a heightened risk of the fire causing a rekindling event.”

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Emergency personnel are pictured at Tuesday's six-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate. (Stan Behal, Toronto Sun)
'HISTORY IS BEING LOST': Toronto high school devastated by fire
Toronto Fire battle the 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun
Plans for York Memorial Collegiate, students uncertain after blaze
Toronto Fire battle the 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun
Ontario Fire Marshal deems York Memorial Collegiate blaze 'accidental'

The suit also alleges that Pegg “falsely reported” to the media that the May 7 fire was separate and distinct from the initial blaze a day earlier and that the scene had been properly secured.

It also alleges suppression of evidence that would cast the fire department in a negative light.
 
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taxslave

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Nov 25, 2008
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TDSB suing fire department, police for $90M over York Memorial blaze
Author of the article:postmedia News
Publishing date:May 05, 2021 • 25 minutes ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
Firefighters and Toronto Police don respirators and masks as Toronto Fire battles a 6 alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in 2019.
Firefighters and Toronto Police don respirators and masks as Toronto Fire battles a 6 alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in 2019. PHOTO BY STAN BEHAL /Toronto Sun files
Article content
Nearly two years to the day of a massive fire that destroyed York Memorial high school, the Toronto District School Board has filed a $90-million lawsuit.

The suit, filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Wednesday, alleges that Toronto’s fire department, police services and the Ontario Fire Marshal did not put the scene under a proper fire watch, which led to the “rekindling” of the earlier smaller fire the next day.


The lawsuit also alleges that incident reports were “modified in an effort to suppress evidence of negligence” by the fire department.

The City of Toronto issued a statement on Wednesday in response.

“The City does not normally comment on matters that are before the courts, but is doing so regarding this matter, after reviewing the unfounded allegations against City staff contained within the TDSB’s claim,” the statement said.

“City staff cooperated fully and professionally in the investigation of the fires at York Memorial Collegiate. Staff took all appropriate steps to preserve evidence, and allegations in the claim that suggest otherwise are patently untrue and irresponsible. It is unconscionable that the TDSB and its insurers would impugn the integrity of Fire Chief Matthew Pegg and other Toronto Fire Services staff in this manner,” read the statement.

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“The City will file its statement of defence with the courts in due course and looks forward to vigorously defending against these allegations.”

The fire occurred in May of 2019 at the 90-year-old school, which was “largely destroyed by fire on May 7.”


The suit alleges that the fire, which was suspected to be arson, was said to be “under control” by Fire Chief Matthew Pegg and the scene was cleared and not secured overnight.

“The TFS did not post a fire watch at the building. The TFS assumed that the fire was out and that a fire watch was not required,” the statement of claim reads.

It is alleged in the suit that for various reasons, including the age of the building and the substances within, “there was a heightened risk of the fire causing a rekindling event.”

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Emergency personnel are pictured at Tuesday's six-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate. (Stan Behal, Toronto Sun)
'HISTORY IS BEING LOST': Toronto high school devastated by fire
Toronto Fire battle the 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun
Plans for York Memorial Collegiate, students uncertain after blaze
Toronto Fire battle the 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun
Ontario Fire Marshal deems York Memorial Collegiate blaze 'accidental'

The suit also alleges that Pegg “falsely reported” to the media that the May 7 fire was separate and distinct from the initial blaze a day earlier and that the scene had been properly secured.

It also alleges suppression of evidence that would cast the fire department in a negative light.
Not the fire department's responsibility to post a guard on a burn building unless they needed to preserve evidence. Once the fire is out the property is handed back to the owners.
 

bob the dog

Council Member
Aug 14, 2020
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Home schoolers have to follow the same curriculum as they do in a "physical" school; they are able to be more flexible though as to how the information is taught. When home schooling, you can't simply teach what you want. Testing is done to confirm the student has learned what he was supposed to just as kids are in class.

The voucher system simply makes it easier for parents to decide where they want their kids to go school, whatever their choice. It's a good system and needs to be an option for parents. The Education corporation doesn't want that, however, because it's likely there would be "competition" for students and that just won't do.
Home schoolers have to follow the curriculum in order for the bureaucracy to exist. Nothing more. It's the curriculum and the bureaucracy that has become redundant. Easily to the tune of $100 billion annually.

Incredible industry though with huge revenues that still end up in money losing situations. Everyone thinks it is good. It's amazing that they have managed to attach such importance to a high school education in our world. Graduating students are not prepared for anything more than taking a year off and then maybe going to university. The vast majority are not benefitting but similar to how a prison needs prisoners a school needs students. That is the role they are expected to accept. It's boring.

Immigrants with doctorates not able to find work in their area of specialization reflects a more realistic picture of the value of education imo.
 

spaminator

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Oct 26, 2009
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Toronto's city manager fires back at TDSB over $90M fire suit
Author of the article:postmedia News
Publishing date:May 06, 2021 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read • 13 Comments
Workers tear down the exterior wall after Toronto Fire battled a 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in the Keele and Eglinton West area. Wednesday May 8, 2019.
Workers tear down the exterior wall after Toronto Fire battled a 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in the Keele and Eglinton West area. Wednesday May 8, 2019. PHOTO BY STAN BEHAL /Toronto Sun files
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Toronto’s city manager has fired back at the Toronto District School Board for filing a $90-million lawsuit against the city’s fire department, police services and the Ontario Fire Marshal.

City manager Chris Murray sent the letter to Karen Falconer, the interim director of education of the Toronto District School Board, a day after the suit was filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

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“I am writing in relation to the Toronto District School Board’s lawsuit concerning the fires at the York Memorial Collegiate. I am compelled to express my extreme disappointment in the baseless and irresponsible allegations made against Fire Chief Matthew Pegg,” Murray says in the letter.

“I am also appalled at the calculated public release of the claim yesterday by the TDSB, which contained these allegations. In my view this could have only been intended to cause unwarranted harm for some undisclosed strategic benefit. The City and Chief Pegg categorically repudiate the allegations contained in your statement of claim. We denounce the carelessness shown by the TDSB and its insurers in this matter. Most importantly, we reaffirm our confidence in Chief Pegg and his professionalism,” Murray said in the letter.

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MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Firefighters and Toronto Police don respirators and masks as Toronto Fire battles a 6 alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in 2019.
TDSB suing fire department, police for $90M over York Memorial blaze
Emergency personnel are pictured at Tuesday's six-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate. (Stan Behal, Toronto Sun)
'HISTORY IS BEING LOST': Toronto high school devastated by fire
Toronto Fire battle the 6-alarm blaze at York Memorial Collegiate Institute on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun
Ontario Fire Marshal deems York Memorial Collegiate blaze 'accidental'

The suit alleges that Toronto’s fire department, police services and the Ontario Fire Marshal did not put the scene under a proper fire watch, which led to the “rekindling” of the earlier smaller fire the next day.

The lawsuit also alleges that incident reports were “modified in an effort to suppress evidence of negligence” by the fire department.

The City of Toronto responded Wednesday to the suit, saying, “The City will file its statement of defence with the courts in due course and looks forward to vigorously defending against these allegations.”

The fire occurred in May of 2019 at the 90-year-old school, which was “largely destroyed by fire on May 7.”


Murray’s statement Thursday also noted the “long history of collaboration, cooperation and common purpose” between the TDSB and the city.

“Our respective sense of joint mission and the importance of our close relationship has never been more evident than in the current civil emergency. All of which makes this baseless attack on the integrity and professionalism of Chief Pegg, who leads the City’s emergency response management, all the more disappointing. It is difficult not to view this spurious attack on Chief Pegg as a betrayal of our close relationship,” it said.

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“The City and its residents have much to thank Chief Pegg for. Beyond his devoted service as Fire Chief, Chief Pegg serves as the General Manager of Emergency Management; a position that has placed him at the forefront of the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last year and more, few have committed more hours and effort to ensure the safety of our community – your schools included. His leadership, integrity and professionalism has been a steadying factor for our residents and staff. We all owe Chief Pegg a great debt for his service to date. Put plainly, he deserved better.”

Murray calls for “a resetting of this relationship,” in the letter and asks that a public apology to Pegg be considered.

“To the extent you require any information to assure yourself and your insurer that those claims ought to be abandoned and a public correction of the record made, do not hesitate to have your legal counsel seek it from our counsel, who will oblige.”
 

spaminator

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MANDEL: Teacher accused of negligence in student's drowning
Author of the article:Michele Mandel
Publishing date:May 11, 2021 • 2 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
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Jeremiah Perry was out of his depth in Algonquin Park’s cold, deep water when he went on his school canoe trip almost four years ago.

Like many children who grew up in the Caribbean, the 15-year-old didn’t know how to swim and was only allowed to wade into the warm sea waters with floating aids or a life jacket.


“He wanted to learn how to swim but as a single mother, I could not afford it,” explained his mom Melissa Perry.

And so she and her three children never ventured into Barbados’ deep waters. “That’s dangerous because none of us can swim.”

In September 2016, Jeremiah and his older brother, Marrion, came to live with their father in Toronto. They left for a few months in December but returned to Canada in March 2017.

Less than four months later, Jeremiah drowned on a Toronto District School Board canoe trip to Algonquin Park.

“Within minutes of entering Big Trout Lake,” said Crown attorney Anna Stanford, “Jeremiah disappeared beneath the surface. His body was found the next day by OPP divers.”

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His brother, now 21, would never be the same.

“Since Jeremiah died, Marrion has tried to commit suicide four times,” his mother testified, tears filling her eyes. “He hates God because he took his brother away too soon.”

C.W. Jefferys high school teacher Nicholas Mills, who ran the REACH excursion to get city kids to the wilderness, has pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence causing death.


According to the itinerary, teens had to pass the swim test to go on the six-day canoe trip. But Stanford has told Mills’ judge-alone trial that 15 of the 33 students had failed their test — Jeremiah and his brother Marrion among them.

Despite a failure rate of almost 50%, Stanford alleged Mills paid little heed because he was more concerned with forging ahead with the program he had founded.

“Despite multiple swim test failures, Mr. Mills took these students on this trip. The court will hear evidence that he did not share the results of the swim test with parents, other trip leaders or the students themselves.”

Jeremiah’s father told the court that he didn’t know much about the field trip.

Testifying over Zoom, Joshua Anderson said he signed the permission forms for both his sons but doesn’t recall seeing the itinerary pages that outlined more details, including the swim and canoe tests. Anderson, who came to Canada in 2001, thought Algonquin Park was in Toronto and knew “absolutely nothing” about the remote, lake-strewn area.

“I thought it was just a regular park,” he said.

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Anderson was also unaware at the time that his sons couldn’t swim. “Only after,” he said softly.

Days before the trip was scheduled to leave on July 3, Anderson told his boys they couldn’t go as punishment for slacking off on schoolwork. Mills called to urge him to reconsider, he said, telling him the school had already paid for their spots, and it was too late to offer them to others.

“He made me feel bad … he was pressuring me just to let my sons go,” he recalled. “Ultimately, I did.”

It was a decision he obviously struggles with to this day.

During the call, Anderson said Mills “absolutely” didn’t mention anything about his sons failing their swim tests. “I didn’t even know there was a test.”

Defence lawyer Phil Campbell suggested Anderson didn’t look carefully at the canoe trip forms and could have called Mills if he had questions about the excursion.

Jeremiah’s father, who had been fighting back tears throughout his testimony, grew emotional.

“Knowing what I know now? Yes, I would ask a tonne of questions.”

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Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo. Handout
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Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
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Drowned teen failed swim test prior to school's Algonquin canoe trip: TDSB

When Anderson received a call from the OPP that they were searching Big Trout Lake for his son, he immediately called Perry in Barbados.

“Straight away, she said to me in a cold voice: ‘Jeremiah can’t swim.'”

The trial continues.
 

spaminator

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MANDEL: School canoe trip where teen drowned was 'challenging' and 'inherently risky,' court hears
Author of the article:Michele Mandel
Publishing date:May 12, 2021 • 1 hour ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
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You have to wonder what this teacher was thinking.

C.W. Jefferys phys ed teacher Nicholas Mills took a group of inexperienced teens — half of whom had failed their swim test — to the remote backcountry wilderness of Algonquin Park.


His intentions were good — expose inner-city kids to the beauty of nature through his REACH canoe program — but he’s accused of bending the rules and ignoring warnings that led to the tragic drowning of a boy who couldn’t swim.

Jeremiah Perry, 15, disappeared on July 4, 2017, the third day of the six-day canoe trip, shortly after entering Big Trout Lake without a life jacket. Court has heard that a 17-year-old lifeguard on the school excursion, with no previous experience, was supervising the teens from shore while Mills and his partner watched from the lake.

No one saw Jeremiah slip under the water.

OPP diver Mike Dunlop told the court that three minutes after beginning his search the next day, he located the teen’s body about 13 metres from shore where there’s a steep and sudden drop-off. Jeremiah was wearing only swimming trunks.

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Mills, 57, has pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence causing death.

At the judge-alone trial before Justice Maureen Forestell, prosecutors allege Mills’ pre-trip conduct demonstrated a “wanton or reckless disregard” for the life and safety of Jeremiah, including ignoring a school board policy that only students who passed the swim test be allowed on the canoe trip.

The defence maintains Mills’ trip included “significantly more protection for student safety” than the majority of canoe trips taking young people into the wilderness.

At the time of Perry’s death, Brent Stewart was the assistant superintendent at Algonquin Park, 250 km north of Toronto. He explained the Ontario provincial park is the size of Prince Edward Island with 1,500 lakes and while there are “front country” camping sites that are more easily accessible, the Big Trout loop takes canoeists deep into backcountry where there’s no cell service, no amenities and no access to emergency aid.


When staff needs to reach Big Trout Lake, they usually access a floatplane, he said.

“I would consider that a challenging route because of the distance and the amount of portages associated with it,” Stewart told Crown attorney Anna Stanford.

Beginners could do it but would have to be “properly prepared,” Stewart said.

And that’s the issue.

Stewart described back-country canoe trips as “an inherently risky activity that comes with a lot of hazards” ranging from severe weather that can capsize boats to dangerous water with submerged rocks and unknown drop-offs.

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And since the park is dotted with so many lakes, water safety is key, he said.

“It really comes down to your competency as a swimmer,” Stewart explained. “If you are not a good swimmer, you should wear a lifejacket or a PFD (personal floatation device).”

It’s so important that Algonquin has a ParkSmart PFD lending program where people can borrow lifejackets at no charge.

In cross-examination, defence lawyer Philip Campbell showed Stewart several photos of people in Algonquin Park who are swimming without PFDs. He agreed that’s not uncommon to see.

But he also agreed with the prosecutor that most of the photos appear to have been taken in lakes with marked swim zones where the water gradually deepens and that there’s no way of knowing whether they are strong swimmers.

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Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
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Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
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Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo. Handout
Family 'relieved' teacher charged in drowning of teen on school trip

“What’s the best way to keep non-swimmers safe in the water?” Stanford asked him.

It’s a question so basic that you don’t have to be a park ranger to know the correct, lifesaving answer.

“To wear a PFD.”

The trial continues.

mmandel@postmedia.com
 
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bob the dog

Council Member
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Beyond the scope of public education imo. Just another way to stroke a week off the school year.
 

spaminator

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MANDEL: Teacher was warned students weren't prepared for Algonquin canoe trip, court hears
Author of the article:Michele Mandel
Publishing date:May 13, 2021 • 7 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
Jeremiah Perry is seen in this undated photo.
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With her decades of paddling experience, Barb Weeden wouldn’t have taken Jeremiah Perry or his fellow students on that ill-fated Algonquin Park canoe trip that ended in the teen’s drowning.

And Weeden says she warned high school teacher Nicholas Mills that his group of novice paddlers and non-swimmers wasn’t ready for a challenging excursion to the back-country of the lake-filled wilderness park.


“He said he’s been doing this for years and he didn’t seem too worried about it,” recalled the former executive director of Sparrow Lake Camp.

Mills, 57, has pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence causing death in the drowning of 15-year-old Jeremiah, who died after entering Big Trout Lake without a lifejacket on the third day of his six-day canoe trip.

At the judge-alone trial, Weeden testified that Mills had booked an overnight at Sparrow Lake Camp for about 24 students and four teachers for swim tests and canoe instruction in preparation for their July 2, 2017 trip.

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Weeden, who had 20 years of experience running a waterfront, was not impressed with what she saw.

There were 38 students, instead of 24, and the promised four teachers had been reduced to just Mills and one other. There were no lifeguards in their group and their supplies were in poor condition: “The tent poles were broken, the stoves didn’t work, the water filter didn’t work so we had to scramble and get our own equipment to do proper demonstrations.”

Half of the teens couldn’t swim. Most had never been in a canoe before.

The group arrived later than expected, she said, and each student only had 20 minutes on the lake in a canoe for instruction. It wasn’t enough. “They didn’t get a chance to go out for a paddle. They didn’t get a chance to practise,” Weeden testified.

Many were frightened, including Jeremiah, she recalled.

As the group was leaving the next day, Weeden said she warned Mills in the parking lot that they weren’t prepared and “light-heartedly” suggested he hire her and her program director to go along.

“There wasn’t enough time spent on canoe skills,” she explained. “There were a lot of non-swimmers who were very scared of the water and shouldn’t be going to Algonquin Park on a canoe trip.”

She was concerned about the large size of the group and felt it was too big a leap for teens who had never been in lake water before.

“After what I saw myself, I would not have taken them on a canoe trip.”


Mills, a phys ed teacher at C.W. Jefferys, founded the REACH wilderness summer school program to expose inner-city, at-risk youth to nature. It was his fifth year running the trip.

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Court has heard that despite a Toronto District School Board requirement that students pass a swim test as a prerequisite to go on the canoe trip, 15 of the 33 participants had failed — Jeremiah among them.

Weeden explained that more than half of the teens on the preparatory overnight trip wore a lifejacket for the swim test — which had been scaled back to a simple camp test — and wearing the personal flotation device was considered an automatic fail.

Mills assured her that the students would be able to practise their skills in the school pool before heading out to Algonquin 10 days later.

“I would only hope that they did that. I didn’t know if they did,” she said.

Defence lawyer Philip Campbell accused Weeden of trying to make Mills “look negligent and disorganized,” a suggestion she denied. He also demanded to know why her warning not to take the group to Algonquin doesn’t appear in the notes she made for her employer two days after the drowning.

“I was still in shock, myself. It’s not there, but I certainly told him,” she replied. “I said I wouldn’t have taken those participants on a trip. Again, I hoped that he was going to have more practise in the pool.”

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She also assumed that those who didn’t improve would not be allowed to take part.

“I was quite shocked to learn that they all eventually did go.”

With tragic results.

mmandel@postmedia.com
 

spaminator

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LEVY: Virulent anti-Israel manual sent out to TDSB teachers
Author of the article:Sue-Ann Levy
Publishing date:May 22, 2021 • 18 hours ago • 4 minute read • 135 Comments
Demonstrators wave flags atop the arches of Toronto City Hall as thousands gather in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to show their support for the people of Palestine on May 15, 2021.
Demonstrators wave flags atop the arches of Toronto City Hall as thousands gather in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to show their support for the people of Palestine on May 15, 2021. PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON /AFP via Getty Images
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An educator with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is under investigation after he allegedly sent a virulently anti-Israel manual out to teachers that suggests a documentary and a book about a terrorist, recommends children’s books that characterize Israelis as thieves and murderers, and gives advice on how to teach students about the hateful Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

The educator, Javier DaVila, has also blocked me from his Twitter feed (@XViolenceXPeace), which is rife with pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel posts. That feed, in which he calls himself a “queer latine transformer,” include the hashtags #FreePalestine #NoOneisDisposable.


DaVila is part of the Board’s Gender-based Violence unit, whose core function, according to TDSB online materials, is to prevent and address “gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment, and inappropriate sexual behaviour by students towards other students in schools.”

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TDSB officials did not respond to questions as to the cost of such a function, noting only that it now comes under the board’s Student Equity Program Advisors.

Still, there is no mention in its mandate of fighting alleged oppression in the West Bank and Gaza. There’s also no mention in DaVila’s manual or the fact that, according to many sources, male same-sex activity is punishable by imprisonment in many Middle Eastern countries, including the Gaza strip, or that often queer Palestinian men flee to Israel for safety.


That said, the 51-page manual — sent to an opt-in e-mailing list of TDSB teachers and obtained by the Toronto Sun — is introduced with a notice of an event that was held online last Wednesday entitled, “What Does Palestine mean for Black America?”

The eight speakers are all outspoken anti-Israel activists, including Angela Davis, who recently had a lecture postponed at an Indiana university for her ties to the hateful BDS Movement. Two of the speakers are actively involved with the Al Quds movement, which hosts a yearly anti-Israel protest in downtown Toronto.

The manual — which is shocking in its one-sidedness — includes recommendation of books about contemporary Palestine for children to read, books that are said to do a good job of conveying the “Israeli occupation.”

A Child’s View of Gaza includes an illustration of an Israeli soldier pointing his gun at a five-year-old Palestinian child.

TDSB educator Javier DaVila is under investigation after allegedly emailing an anti-Semitic manual to teachers that glorifies terrorists and recommends children's books that characterize Israelis as thieves and murderer.
TDSB educator Javier DaVila is under investigation after allegedly emailing an anti-Semitic manual to teachers that glorifies terrorists and recommends children’s books that characterize Israelis as thieves and murderer. PHOTO BY JAVIER DAVILA /Twitter
Another called the Shepherds Grandaughter — written by a Canadian author — tells the tale of “illegal Jewish settlers” poisoning a poor West Bank shepherd’s sheep, destroying the family’s olive, fig and lemon and threatening West Bank villagers “with death” if they don’t leave the land.

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There’s also a whole section on what BDS is all about — a movement that calls for the boycott of Israeli authors, artists, academics and products — and why teachers should be interested in supporting the movement.

In a section called Decolonize Palestine, readers are invited to visit the website http://decolonizepalestine.com — what appears to be a virulently anti-Israeli propaganda tool in which Israel is accused of “rainbow washing.” The website contends Israel uses its track record on environmentalism, women’s and LGBT rights to “improve its dismal world image.”

Under suggested sources of further information — books, articles, documentaries and podcasts — DaVila’s manual proposes a book by and a documentary on Leila Khaled, a member of the notorious Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine militant group that hijacked a plane in 1969. The PFLP does not recognize Israel.

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In an attempt to perhaps offset or excuse the anti-Israel content in the manual, it ends with a four-page primer on anti-Semitism noting that even “contentious, strident or harsh criticism of Israel of its policies — including those that led to the creation of Israel — is not “per se anti-Semitic.”

This is in direct opposition to the now commonly accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism that includes, among other things, claiming that the state of Israel is a racist endeavour.

DaVila did not respond to Toronto Sun requests for comment.

Late Friday, after seemingly being put on home assignment, he posted a series of tweets portraying himself as a victim and an “anti-oppressive educator” who now requires justice himself.

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“We cannot afford to repeat past harms by defending this violence through silence. Call out settler colonialism. Call out ethnic cleansing. Call out apartheid. Use collective privilege, transform harm and take a risk for liberation. No one is disposable. Love and gentle care,” DaVila tweeted.

These tweets earned him a response from a high school teacher who claims to be a queer anti-racist, anti-capitalist feminist:

“The OPT-IN mailout from @xjudticexpeace was forwarded to a notoriously racist right-wing journalist who is publishing a hit-piece conflating (AGAIN) antisemitism and legitimate criticism of Israel. The politicization of real, intergenerational trauma has got to stop,” tweeted Beyhan Farhadi, PhD (@BBFarhadi).



TDSB spokesman Ryan Bird said these resources were not “vetted, approved or sanctioned” by the TDSB.

He said TDSB staff, including the employee services department, is currently investigating this matter. In the meantime, the staff member’s current and previous group mailings have been removed from TDSB email inboxes.

Bird added that the employee in question’s social media feed is also being investigated for “any hateful comments and actions.”

B’nai Brith CEO Michael Mostyn accused the TDSB of “directly fanning the flames of Jew hatred” in Canada by distributing such materials.

“The TDSB must unequivocally apologize to the Jewish community and dismiss Mr. DaVila from employment,” he said. “A full investigation should also ensure … no one who distributes anti-Semitic propaganda like this should work for a school board in Canada.”

SLevy@postmedia.com
 

Danbones

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Bill Gates Tacitly Admits His Common Core Experiment Was A Failure

...But it looks like this is as close to an apology or admission of failure as we’re going to get, folks. Sorry about that $4 trillion and mangled years of education for American K-12 kids and teachers. Failing with your kids and money for eight years is slowly getting billionaire visionaries to “evolve” and pledge to respect the hoi polloi a little more, though, so be grateful...

" so then...I just got the equal opportunity laws changed so some of my biggest failures could still get to run stuff and make vaccines, nuke plants and A.I.s and sh!t...!
:)
...every pedo should get the opportunity to run an orphanage at least once in his life! It's only fair!
 
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Danbones

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News about the Ontario Teachers Pension fund being one of the largest and most influential institutional investment funds in the country is another example of where public education dollars flow away from being an investment in the education of the next generation.

Talk about an opportunity for AI to save billions but they will never let it happen. Hearing Manitoba is consolidating 37 regional school divisions into one provincial group is a long overdue step in the right direction. It must have been quite the annual convention. Again nothing going towards educating children.
Bill gates said:

Bill Gates endorses killing grandma in order to save teachers jobs​

Bill Gates gives his case for cutting off medical care to older people in order to save teachers jobs. Bill Gates is totally in favor of the death panels that are called for in ObamaCare.

Bill Gates: End-of-Life Care vs. Saving Teachers' Jobs​


Powerful teachers union influenced CDC on school reopenings, emails show​


The American Federation of Teachers lobbied the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on, and even suggested language for, the federal agency’s school-reopening guidance released in February.

The powerful teachers union’s full-court press preceded the federal agency putting the brakes on a full re-opening of in-person classrooms, emails between top CDC, AFT and White House officials show.
 

Dixie Cup

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Sep 16, 2006
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Not the fire department's responsibility to post a guard on a burn building unless they needed to preserve evidence. Once the fire is out the property is handed back to the owners.
I would suspect that the insurance company would want to ensure the safety of people who live around the burnt out building to "secure" it or post a guard. Has nothing to do with the fire department, so I agree taxslave.
 
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