Chilliwack – Over the past week, there was a petition launched on change.org to have Chilliwack School Board Chair Willow Reichelt removed as Chair.
FVN and chillTV had heard from sources within the School Board and other media that Action4Canada was involved. (A4C is a religious themed group that has issues with a number of school boards over library materials and SOGI123. A4C has been banned from making presentations with Mission School Board).
The petitions author, Cindy Carpenter says that is not correct. This is a private petition. She is concerned that families are not being heard and upset that Chair Reichelt shuts down debate by shutting off the public microphone.
The petition has no legal weight as Reichelt is an elected official and the Provincial Education rules can not single out anyone specifically. Reichelt blasted the petition’s creators on social media – calling it mean spirited and useless.
From change.org: Policy 121 Duties of the Chair and Vice Chair from the Policy Manual by The Board of Education of School District No. 33 (Chilliwack)
“The Board Chair is an equal, with no more power or authority than any other trustee. Although the Chair assumes a leadership role, they must adhere to the Board’s directions and may not act unilaterally.”
As seen many times in public School Board meetings, Willow does not listen when parents, guardians and other residents of the Chilliwack community, attempt to voice their concerns. She will turn off their mic before they’ve finished speaking. She will also shut off the mic of fellow trustees, if their opinion doesn’t align with hers. She has also raised her voice, scoffed, laughed at and belittled, the ones trying to speak.
As of April 28, over 4600 people have signed the petition. FVN asked how many were “local” and Carpenter stated one third seem to be local. Again she stressed that there is no link to Action4Canada.
