The Chilliwack
Progress Tuesday
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Buskers are taking it to the streets this summer.
Kid’s book captures the flood of ’48.
Fletcher faces test on Wisconsin whitewater.
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • T U E S D AY, J U LY 3 , 2 0 1 2
Special ed review leaves parents unimpressed
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Interim report released Katie Bartel The Progress Chilliwack school district’s interim report on the special education review did not impress a group of parents who sat through last week’s board meeting. A survey that was mailed out last month to parents, teachers, educational assistants, support staff, and school administration with the intent of gaining input into the current system showed low responses from parents. Of the 1,200 mail outs to parents, only 285 were returned. When trustee Barry Neufeld indicated that maybe parents just didn’t have the vested interest to fill out the surveys, parent Tonya Padgett took offense. “Not only is that an insulting and biased comment, it’s untrue,” said Padgett. “I don’t come to these meetings for the fun of it, I come because I have a vested interest in all my children.” Special needs worker Tracey Barnett said the low number of parent responses was a fault of the school district. Of the nine families Barnett works with, eight received their surveys between May 23 and 24; they needed to be returned to the school district by May 28. One family didn’t receive a survey at all. As well, Barnett would have liked the district to have sought input from families who are now home schooling their special needs children because they felt the public school system failed them. “Without that information in the survey, you are not gaining a correct representation of what is happening in this district,” said Barnett. “You need to look outside the box to get a very true representation of what is happening.” Continued: SURVEY/ p4
A group of Sardis secondary staff surprised colleague Ariel Eastman with a flash mob dance during her retirement tea at the school on Tuesday. To see the video, go to theprogress.com/community. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Kent inmate made violent threats before attack: UCCO Robert Freeman The Progress Kent prison staff are lashing out at prison management after a female corrections officer was slashed across the face Saturday and will probably need plastic surgery. The Union of Canadian Correctional Officers posted a newsletter Monday claiming the inmate who slashed the officer had made direct threats against another officer 17 days earlier, and was in segregation at the time he promised to stab an offi-
cer in the face. “But what was management’s response to those threats? Release to the General Population where he was able to carry out his plan against the unsuspecting staff member,” the union newsletter charged. “We will not be victims of management and security intelligence failures to adequately deal with threats, intimidation and violence perpetrated by the inmates,” the union newsletter continued. “We deserve respect and to be more than faceless numbers
to what it seems is an inattentive local management.” A Kent spokesman did not return a call from The Progress for comment after issuing a news release Monday reporting the 2 p.m. assault. UCCO president Gord Robertson was also unavailable for an interview, but told The Progress in a voicemail late Monday that the officer is recovering “remarkably well” although she will probably need plastic surgery. The union claims its members have been warning of problems
and submitting detailed reports of threats to management “seemingly without any response or sanction against the inmates.” The prison news release said prison officials continue to “review the circumstances surrounding the incident and take action where necessary.” The Saturday attack reportedly follows an earlier attack on Thursday in which a male officer was stabbed in the chest, but he was wearing a protective vest that saved him from serious injury. rfreeman@theprogress.com
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