From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 8:28 AM
To: jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca; willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca; carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca;
darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca; heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca;
barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca; david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca; rohan_arul@sd33.bc.ca
Cc: *****
Subject: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Dear Trustees,
I trust that you are
passionate about helping students succeed at the Chilliwack School
District and I recognize you have a challenging and
demanding job, so I will try to make it short, but this is an important matter.
I have reason to believe that children or youth have been or
could be likely abused or neglected based on what I have seen and information I
have found on your library site; I am concerned about the safety and well-being
of those under your authority about a serious matter that is happening within
your school. As a Canadian citizen and under B.C. law, I have a duty to report
the following concerns.
Children ages from 5 years old up to 17 years old at the schools
mentioned below have been or are at risk of being exposed to books containing
sexual references, sexual activity, sexual material, and books showing a person
who is engaged in or is depicted as engaged in explicit sexual activity. The
main characteristics of those books relate to sexual activity and expose
children to individuals engaging in sexually explicit acts, including exposure
to adult pornography, and encouraging children to masturbate or watch others
masturbate.
It
is important to know that we do not have to prove that a child has been abused in order to report abuse. If we observe or hear about
concerning behavior or an inappropriate situation between an adult and a child
within an organization, such as a school, daycare, or sports program, and as
mentioned above due to mandatory laws in most provinces in Canada we must
report our concern to the organization.
According to the Canadian Center for Child Protection, a non-contact sexual abuse is as follows:
I understand that resources are to
be inclusive and suitable based on diverse social considerations. Nevertheless,
resources are to be ages appropriate, and within the boundary of the rules of
law. In good faith, I would advise the School
Board to remove those books from the library, contact the librarian, review
those books with teachers and parents, and
make sure that all book selection policy has
been followed. Please advise on how the board will proceed.
Hope the following information will
help you better understand the concern mentioned above. If you need more
information regarding those books, please do not hesitate to ask.
On another note, I found it
disturbing that Trustees Willow found fantastic a book like The Hate U Give and
that she thinks concerned parents like myself are
“ridiculous human being”.
This book is loaded with profanity
and swearing language including words (fuck 97 times,
cocaine 2 times, bitch 14 times, and n*** 9 times)
How will the board respond to her
comment? and does her view representative of the board’s vision?
Kind Regards,
Pierre Barns
236-458-7269
Canadian Trustees raising their
concern about the contents of the book in school:
https://www.facebook.com/LauraLynnTylerThompson/videos/814081779570576
Here is a video of a Mother in the USA complaining to the school board about the
book The Glass Castle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgRsqrMC4Lk
”SCHOOL ACT [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 412
Provision of educational
program
Section 75
(7)Subject to the
regulations, a board
(a)is responsible for evaluating all of the educational programs and services provided by the
board, including services provided under an agreement under section 86 (1) (a),
and”
TEACHERS ACT
[SBC 2011]
CHAPTER 19
Here are some screenshots of the book
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie h. Harris and Michael Emberly are available at
the following schools:
Here are some screenshots of the book Sex is a Funny Word by
Cory Silverberg available at the following Schools:
Here are some screenshots of the book All Boys aren't
Blue a memoir-manifesto by George M Johnson available at the following School:
Here are some screenshots of the book a Quick and Easy
Guide to Queer and Trans Identities by Mady G & R and JR Zucherberg available at the following School:
·
BC
Chilliwack
Secondary
Chilliwack Secondary
School
a quick & easy guide to queer & trans
identities
https://search.follettsoftware.com/metasearch/ui/45472/search/all?q=A%20quick%20&%20easy%20guide%20to%20queer%20=&%20trans%20identities
Here are some screenshots of the book Rick available at
the following School:
Here are some screenshots of the book The Other Boy
available at the following School:
Here are some screenshots of the book The Hate U Give Me
available at the following School:
Here are some screenshots of the book The Glass Castle
available at the following School:
From: Darrell Furgason <darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 2:32 PM
To: pierrebarns@gmail.com; Jared Mumford
<jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca>; Willow Reichelt
<willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca>; Carin Bondar
<carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca>; Heather Maahs
<heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca>; Barry Neufeld <barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca>;
David Swankey <david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca>; Rohan Arul
<Rohan_Arul@sd33.bc.ca>
Cc: *****
Subject: Re: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Thank you Pierre,
I appreciate the solid research you have done regarding these
inappropriate books depicting explicit sex acts. I will do all I can to protect
children from these type of "resources"
being brought into our schools by rogue/activist teachers, librarians or staff.
The Board is charged with reviewing learning resources, and this task must not
be done by others, whether teachers or not.
I am sorry for the insulting, unprofessional and totally
unnecessary response from Trustee Willow Reichelt. With her demeaning comment
about you as a human being, she has shown her complete lack of decorum and
inability to fulfill her role as a Trustee, which is to listen to the public
with genuine interest and concern.
Regards,
Darrell Furgason PhD
School Trustee SD33
From: Jared
Mumford <jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 3:07 PM
To: Darrell Furgason <darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca>; pierrebarns@gmail.com
<pierrebarns@gmail.com>;
Willow Reichelt <willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca>; Carin Bondar <carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca>;
Heather Maahs <heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca>; Barry Neufeld <barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca>;
David Swankey <david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca>; Rohan Arul <Rohan_Arul@sd33.bc.ca>
Cc: *****
Subject: RE: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Hello Pierre,
Thank you for your email. Our district relies on education
professionals to choose the 1000’s of resources in our schools, and, if a
resource is in question by either a staff member, student or parent, there is a
process with which it can be challenged. The overarching guide to
resource inventory is outlined by the Ministry of Education and you can find
that criteria online.
If you are pursuing a formal complaint regarding a
trustee, you can email me or the Secretary Treasurer directly.
Trustee Furgason, I will remind you of your role as a
Trustee in bringing dignity of office and specifically your adherence to our
code of conduct which clearly outlines civic behavior and decorum.
Respectfully,
Jared
************************
Jared Mumford
Board Chair
Ph: 604 845 4162
Twitter:@jaredmumford
Pronouns: he, him, his
I am privileged to work, learn
and play on the unceded traditional territory of the Pilalt,
Ts’elxwéyeqw and Sema:th
tribes.
************************
Confidentiality Notice: This
e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain privileged or confidential
information. It is solely for use by the individual for whom it is intended,
even if addressed incorrectly. If you received this e-mail in error, please
notify the sender; do not disclose, copy, distribute, or take any action in
reliance on the contents of this information; and delete it from your system.
Any other use of this e-mail is prohibited. Thank you for your compliance.
From: Darrell Furgason
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 3:30 PM
To: Jared
Mumford; pierrebarns@gmail.com; Willow
Reichelt; Carin Bondar; Heather Maahs;
Barry Neufeld;
David Swankey;
Rohan Arul
Cc: *****
Subject: Re: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Trustee Mumford,
I would like to
remind YOU, as Chair that you have deliberately ignored a RUDE, UNPROFESSIONAL,
DEMEANING remark by the Vice Chair towards a member of the public.... a remark
that has gone out to a wide audience. Since you have selectively chosen
to ignore that total lack of decorum, I want to encourage the public that
Trustee Reichelt's behavior isn't right, normal, or appropriate as a Trustee.
It is disheartening to have to point that out to a member of the public who has
been called a "ridiculous human being" by the Vice Chair of a Board
of Education.
So please, open
your eyes, and act with consistency in your role as Chair. Your moral
"outrage" at my accurate comment about Trustee Reichelt's behavior
only reveals your own bias, and blindness.
Regards,
Darrell Furgason PhD
School Trustee SD33
From: Jared
Mumford <jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 3:41 PM
To: Darrell Furgason <darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca>; pierrebarns@gmail.com
<pierrebarns@gmail.com>;
Willow Reichelt <willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca>; Carin Bondar <carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca>;
Heather Maahs <heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca>; Barry Neufeld <barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca>;
David Swankey <david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca>; Rohan Arul <Rohan_Arul@sd33.bc.ca>
Cc: *****
Subject: RE: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Thanks Trustee Furgason,
As Chair I have iterated to Pierre the process for
submitting a formal complaint against a Trustee.
Please do your part by adhering to our code of conduct.
Respectfully,
Jared
************************
Jared Mumford
Board Chair
Ph: 604 845 4162
Twitter:@jaredmumford
Pronouns: he, him, his
I am privileged to work, learn
and play on the unceded traditional territory of the Pilalt,
Ts’elxwéyeqw and Sema:th
tribes.
************************
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail
and any files transmitted with it may contain privileged or confidential
information. It is solely for use by the individual for whom it is intended,
even if addressed incorrectly. If you received this e-mail in error, please
notify the sender; do not disclose, copy, distribute, or take any action in
reliance on the contents of this information; and delete it from your system.
Any other use of this e-mail is prohibited. Thank you for your compliance.
From: Darrell Furgason <darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca>
Sent: June 7, 2022 4:12 PM
To: Jared Mumford <jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca>; pierrebarns@gmail.com;
Willow Reichelt <willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca>; Carin Bondar <carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca>;
Heather Maahs <heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca>; Barry Neufeld <barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca>;
David Swankey <david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca>; Rohan Arul <Rohan_Arul@sd33.bc.ca>
Cc: *****
Subject: Re: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Jared,
Once again you have
missed the point. It is Trustee Rechelt that has
failed to address the public with appropriate respect and decorum. I have
merely pointed that out. I am here for public education, not to promote the
philosophical and political ideology of a Trustee who feels free to insult a
member of the public. I do not see your correction nor admonition to Trustee
Reichelt, so I am free to conclude that your leadership as Chair is
blind......and willfully so.
Regards.
Darrell Furgason PhD
School Trustee SD33
From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2022 8:14 AM
To: jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca; willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca;
carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca; darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca; heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca;
barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca; david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca; rohan_arul@sd33.bc.ca
Cc: *****
Subject: FW: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Thank you Mr. Furgason, for your comments.
I posted the
following on Facebook regarding the Book "The Hate U Give":
"Another
inclusive popular book in our BC School Library.
Available in
Elementary schools in Surrey, Langley, Burnaby, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and
many other locations.
The book uses
the following words (with the number of occurrences)
Fuck (97 times)
Cocaine (2
times)
Bitch (14 times)
Drug (60 times)
Shit (239 times)
Damn (121 times)
N**** (9 times)
Do I really need
to say more about it???"
Ms. Reichelt
responded with "The book was fantastic, and you are a ridiculous human
being."
First of all, “ … you are a ridiculous human being” is a childish ad
hominem attack that doesn’t address any comment I made. Secondly, for her to
attack a concerned parent who raises issues about the book and then insult me
is reprehensible and totally unprofessional and for that, she needs to be
censured. Thirdly, her endorsement of this book as Vice-chair also reflects
badly on her personally and on the board as a whole.
Using the word
“fantastic” to describe a book that contains sexually explicit material and
profane language and is readily available in our schools indicates clearly that
Ms. Reichelt is not guided by any universal standards of right and wrong. This
foul language lifts the boundaries most parents have set for their children and
presents a malevolent dimension that must be curtailed and eliminated. She is
blinded by her emotions about the subject and does not understand that books
like these are used to desensitize children and make them easy prey for
predators.
Rather than guiding
and protecting our children, she offers up our defenseless children to the
degradation of an immoral author and others of their ilk. It makes it easier
for potential abusers to target our children. This is a clear example of
endorsing a book that may be used by evil people to groom children. Her lack of
awareness of this possibility indicates clearly that she has few moral
principles and is comfortable with discarding virtuous principles.
I call the board to
take seriously their role to guide and PROTECT our children rather than
offering opportunities for abusers to use these books to capture the hearts and
minds of our children.
In
regards to the report,
thank you for your courage to tell the truth. You are bringing dignity to the
board by putting children's safety before politics.
Jared should know
that there is a duty to report medical, mental, physical, and sexual abuse done
to children, and these matters must be put above politics. Child safeguarding
concerns us all. Jared is not above the supremacy of God and the rules of law.
By acknowledging my email but refusing to address the issue, bullying you, and
directing me to a circle of useless bureaucratic actions, he is refusing to
address the concern raised regarding child abuse.
My conclusion is
that for the safety of children and the community, he should step down.
Community concern about child abuse should always be taken seriously. Jared has
the power to protect potential victims but nevertheless chooses not to act on
their behalf. Any rational person would wish to prevent sexual abuse. But not
ideologically driven individuals who are more loyal to their ideology than to
their duty and responsibilities…
Kind Regards.
Pierre Barns
236-458-7269
From: Pierre Barns <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2022 9:21 AM
To: Jared Mumford <jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca>
Subject: Re: FW: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Good morning Jared,
What is the process for submitting a formal complaint
against a Trustee?
Regards,
Pierre Barns
236-458-7269
From: pierrebarns@gmail.com <pierrebarns@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2022 8:00 AM
To: jared_mumford@sd33.bc.ca
Cc: willow_reichelt@sd33.bc.ca; carin_bondar@sd33.bc.ca;
darrell_furgason@sd33.bc.ca; heather_maahs@sd33.bc.ca;
barry_neufeld@sd33.bc.ca; david_swankey@sd33.bc.ca; rohan_arul@sd33.bc.ca
Subject: RE: FW: Chilliwack School District - Books Concerns
Good morning Jared,
Precisely I want to
make a sexual misconduct complaint regarding Willow. Perhaps I should make a
sexual misconduct complaint against you since Willow claims to represent the
view of the Board.
A least three
Trustees in the Chilliwack School Board agree that the books mentioned below
contain sexually explicit material. Nevertheless, Willow chooses to promote
those books on social media and encourage everyone to “read banned books.”
She also undermined
the integrity of the teaching profession and teachers in your district by
stating that “no one advocating book banning in 2022 has any business being
involved in public education,” or maybe it is a direct threat to teachers and
Trustees who think that those books should be banned.
I am requesting
that this email be forwarded to the Chilliwack police liaison officer and the
head of the Chilliwack RCMP, as I do not trust that you are taking this issue
seriously.
For that reason, I
have attached all board members. I expect some of them will forward this email
and previous communications related to this issue to the authorities mentioned
above.
Regards,
Pierre Barns
236-458-7269
Reference here
and examples of sexual misconduct cases are attached to this email: