Mark Hasiuk hit the nail on the head when he wrote: "In Vancouver, the media rarely digs deep into school board business and parent apathy emboldens professional activists."
To give an example, two and a half months after NPA trustees Ken Denike and Sophia Woo held a conference to address the concern of graphic elements linked to the resources of the Out in Schools program, they were being accused of misrepresenting the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»School Board's "anti-homophobia" policy because of a video showing the trustees engaged in conversation with a group of parents.
The media did not bother to find out whether it was truly a misrepresentation. They just reported on what the activists and majority of the school board trustees claimed.
I sent a letter to VSB chair Patti Bacchus explaining the frustration of the parents and the inaction of the Vision/ COPE majority, as well as whether the two NPA trustees "publicly misrepresented" the board's anti-homophobia policy. I'm still waiting for a response.
Hasiuk's column is the first fair and insightful one I read on this matter by the media. It is easy for the reporter to pick up what was given to them and put it on paper, but to give the issue some thought and do more research before writing takes diligence and good conscience.
Karen Chan. Vancouver
