September 24, 2014
OSSTF District 17
6-51 King St.
Barrie, Ont.
Dear Political Action Committee:
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your 2014 Trustees’ Questionnaire. As a firsttime candidate, I will attempt to answer the questions you have posed to your satisfaction.
#1. I have always been interested in educational matters both as a student and a parent.
Through my 15 years as a hockey coach of boys ranging in age from six to 14, I quickly learned
how the youngsters look up to you and hang off everything you say, and do. They were also
thrilled when you spoke to them one-on-one and asked what their other interests were. There
was also a lot of parent interaction, mostly on the positive side!
My experience in the early 1980s with the Toronto Board of Education included a six-month
placement at Park Public School (now Nelson Mandela P.S.) in Regent Park. I worked as a
teacher’s assistant and spent time with students in the school’s “cooling off” room. It also
reinforced how important adult interaction with students from disadvantaged homes, could be.
As a journalist for 30-plus years, I have visited dozens of schools in both Toronto and parts
of Simcoe County, as well as attended well in excess of 100 meetings of the Simcoe County
District School Board. I saw, and wrote about, first-hand how the board dealt with a number of
serious issues during the past 13 years.
Having recently taken early retirement from Metroland Media group, a division of Torstar Ltd.,
I will have the time, energy and willingness not only to attend and participate in board meetings
and committees, but also engage each school community by proactively seeking their input.
#2
My three top priorities would include fostering a greater awareness in the larger
community of the role of a trustee by forming linkages with community partners such as the
Town of Innisfil, parent councils and other volunteer organizations. I believe work can be done
improving relations between the SCDSB and its unionized workforce. I would also like attempt
to forge a more collegial atmosphere at the trustee table.
#3 The role of school trustee and boards of education has steadily been eroded in recent
years by successive provincial governments with more and more of the decision making
process centralized at the Ministry of Education. We must proactively work together to stop this
trend and gradually lobby for more local authority. The SCDSB must be encouraged by its
trustees to maintain, if not improve, the current teacher/student ratio mandated by the province.
#4 With the expiration of the Collective Agreements as of August 31, we will once again be
entering a time of stress. Having negotiated three C.A.s in my role as unit chair and also vice
chair of Metroland Media’s editorial workers, I understand the need for consultation and
collaboration as opposed to confrontation at the bargaining table. Brinkmanship should be a
measure of last resort.
In terms of Bill 122, my opinion is its implementation was an expedient measure to fan the
flames of what is a deliberate attempt to create anti-labour sentiment among the public by
employers in both the private and public sectors. Bill 122 was ill-conceived and resulted in
considerable “collateral damage” that was entirely predictable in my opinion.
#5 Our educators do not receive enough credit for what takes place on a daily basis in our
schools – the Character Education initiative, alternative learning centres, programs geared
towards environmental awareness, the list goes on and on.
Simcoe County is composed of many distinct regions and populated by a variety of people of
various social and economic backgrounds. Work must continue at all levels of the education
pyramid to respect and acknowledge the diversity of our students.
#6 I see no need to privatize any services now being done by SCDSB personnel. As a
former member of CEP and Unifor, (I am now an associate member of Unifor), I know having a
union job does not always mean earning a lavish wage. I’m a fervent supporter of good wages,
benefits and healthy work environments.
#7
While I can see some merit in standardized testing, there are loopholes that are
employed to manipulate results. Using EQAO results should not be used to single out schools
that may have a lower score than the provincial average that may be attributable to any number
of external factors.
#8 I cannot emphasize strongly enough my commitment to working together with all parties
to ensure all of our students, and staff, feel safe and secure in their school environment,
including transportation to and from school.
#9
To educate students and parent councils that their trustee is their conduit and
representative – not just an obscure person sitting in a comfy chair at SCDSB headquarters.
This is not to diminish the hard work I know our trustees do. The volume of reports,
recommendations and more they must digest is formidable but I believe a trustee should be
well-known and accessible in their community as well.
#10 All involved parties need to understand there will be times when a school closure, or
consolidation, is in the best interests of student learning. Nevertheless, trustees and
administration must always be receptive and respectful of public opinion and recommendations
received by ARCs. I have attended board meetings where some trustees have been
disrespectful to public delegations and parent committees. I find this unacceptable behaviour.
In the case of Penetanguishene S.S., it is obvious closure will have a negative economic
impact and the community’s appeal of the board’s decision was not undertaken lightly.
In Orillia, the consolidation of two high schools should not result in a selective hiring process
in my opinion. In my former industry (newspapers), when a publication was closed, or
transferred to a different location, the existing staff followed.
#11 A number of years ago, this was a “hot button” issue and I wrote several articles on this.
John Sayer of Barrie was a one of several parents with a keen interest on this topic. I heard
many arguments for and against a later start time for secondary school students. Despite the
higher transportation costs, I support a later start time. The vision of seeing students standing
on concession roads at 7 a.m. in the middle of winter, waiting for their bus, is not one I enjoy.
Once again, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this survey.
Sincerely yours,
Bruce Hain
Trustee candidate for the Town of Innisfil