Dear petition signers,
While this news is not yet widely public, the Capital Daily has released the news that Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside has approved the sale of Lansdowne Middle School south campus land. This comes just days after BC Supreme Court Justice Hardwick's ruling that the suspension of trustees Diane McNally and Rob Paynter was illegal (see previous update).
Trustees McNally and Paynter opposed the Lansdowne land sale and their presence, had they not been illegally suspended, would have stopped the sale in March with a 5:4 vote against the sale.
What can you do?
1. Attend on Monday, October 3rd, at 8 pm, SD61's Special Board Meeting where the fully constituted Board will vote on two motions:
- B.1. Recommended Motion: That the Board of Education of Greater Victoria (SD61) direct the Board
Chair to immediately write a letter to the Minister of Education to inform the Minister that the
Board of Education of Greater Victoria (SD61) may not have been legally constituted during the vote
taken at the Board Education meeting on 14 March 2022 pertaining to the Lansdowne Middle
School, South Campus Partial Disposal Bylaw 2022; Further that the Superintendent immediately
contact the Minister of Education to make them aware that this letter is forthcoming. - B.2. Recommended Motion: That the Board of Education of Greater Victoria (SD61) direct the Board
Chair to call a Special Board Meeting for Tuesday, 11 October 2022 for the purposes of reconsidering
the Lansdowne Middle School, South Campus Partial Disposal Bylaw 2022 with a properly
constituted Board.
2. Contact the SD61 trustees (trustees@sd61.bc.ca) and communicate your expectation that they will support both recommendation motions to fulfill their obligations to act legally.
3. Communicate your thoughts and concerns directly to Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside at educ.minister@gov.bc.ca and cc. the Deputy Minister at DM.education@gov.bc.ca
Write a letter to the editor at:
- Times Colonist
- Saanich News
- Oak Bay News
Please help signal our collective expectation for lawful process!
Thank you!