An open letter to Chilliwack Board of Education Trustees Heather Maahs and Barry Neufeld, re: book banning, freedom:
These trustees claim to be about freedom from governmental control. They claim views that are distasteful to them are being forced upon them. Yet, while claiming they are victims of this, they are trying to do the exact same thing.
The last time I read the Bible (which they like to say they live by) it said to love your neighbour. I don’t recall seeing any conditions put on that. There is no “unless.”
An example of them forcing their views concerns book banning. Apparently, Ms. Maahs finds a book in a secondary school library offensive. If there is a book in the library it is free to check out or not. Is she saying that Grade 11 or 12 students (young adults) can’t think for themselves as to whether they want to read it? The same is true of other media. Don’t like the content of a television show? Don’t watch it. Don’t like a movie? Don’t go. If you are truly about freedom, let them choose.
READ MORE: Chilliwack school trustee Heather Maahs suggests some within SD33 are ‘grooming children’
Ms. Maahs has also been on a rant about “grooming” going on in our district. First, I’m not even sure she knows what it means, but I digress. She has called out various teachers in the district. This is so far off the mark. I understand she wants to be re-elected. But, why attack the very people who look after our children and have only the best in mind for them? How can she claim to be a secular, public school trustee when denigrating and insulting some of the very people she represents?
Mr. Neufeld, I have seen you write that more teachers have gotten away with abuse than priests have. You have claimed it has been covered up by unions. Again, a wild statement.
Why are you going down this path, insulting a profession you know little about? You have also complained about school boards being made up of ex-educators or educators from other school districts. Who better to be on our school boards? They know the system. They know how it works.
I, for one, and I sure many, many others, simply want to live life free from the confines Ms. Maahs and Mr. Neufeld would like to see.
I find you both hypocritical for playing victim when you are doing the exact, same thing.
Jennifer Scott
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