Observer SALMON ARM
Wednesday October 31, 2012 www.saobserver.net $1.25 HST INCLUDED PM40008236
Alleged bullying prompts lawsuit Courts: Mother claims School District #83 did not do enough to protect her son, seeks damages for lost income. By Tracy Hughes OBSERVER STAFF
A Salmon Arm woman is suing School District #83 in small claims court, seeking damages for lost wages after she says bullying forced her to pull her son from public school and home school him instead. Leanne McIvor has filed documents in Salmon Arm court alleging the school district breached a duty of care by failing to protect her son from bullying and harassment. She also alleges the school district is liable by failing to adopt, enforce and update school policies on bullying, harassment and human rights conditions after a provincial ministerial order regarding human rights was issued to all school districts in 2007. In a statement submitted by McIvor to the courts and media, she says her efforts to resolve the situation with
school administration and trustees have been unsatisfactory. “I have turned to litigation,” she writes, “just because my child and 300,000 children per month that report bullying in Canadian schools are not being heard.” “You hear so much talking in the media and the current culture of zero tolerance and bullying. It would seem that the schools have this under control. They don’t.” School District #83 would not comment on this specific case as it is before the courts, but Glen Borthistle, acting superintendent, says the school district takes bullying seriously and has policies to deal with it at the school board level, as well as with many ongoing district and school programs for students and staff. “...Speaking generally, the district, See District on page A2
SABNES supports leaving the beavers By Martha Wickett OBSERVER STAFF
JAMES MURRAY/OBSERVER
Electrifying experience Brynn Arbour screams at the top of her lungs while sitting in Dr. Frankenstein’s chair to receive a new brain at the 18th annual Halloween Spooktacular held Oct. 27 and 28 at R.J. Haney Heritage Village.
This week Maggie Manning will be featured in a Telus commercial about a unique hospital program. See A3. The SilverBacks celebrated a win over Vernon, but Trail brought them back to Earth. See A13.
Hands off the beavers. SABNES, the Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society, is quite clear about what should be done with the beavers living along the foreshore trail. The busy rodents should be left alone, says Ed Dahl, vice-president of SABNES. At the Oct. 22 meeting of Salmon Arm council, city staff asked for council’s direction regarding the animals after the city received four complaints about their chomping down of trees near Christmas Island.
Coun. Ken Jamieson, council’s representative on SABNES, said he was told SABNES members had mixed opinions on what should be done with the beavers, and were going to leave it up to council. However, he said, as they are stewards of the area, he would ask them for a recommendation. Dahl told the Observer Monday that SABNES executive members are in complete agreement that the beavers should be left as they are, and SABNES was not going to leave the decision up to council because they knew the city had allowed the See Unsafe on page A4
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Sports............... A13-A16 Life & Times ............. A17 Arts & Events ... A18-A20 Time Out................... A21 Vol. 105, No. 44, 40 pages