Democracy not served by secret committee votes

re: New school closure committee to hold secret-ballot votes (May 30)

Since my son Logan passed away, I haven’t paid much attention to the shenanigans of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board or its Trustees, despite having to pay for public schools costs, through my property taxes, of almost $1,000 per year.

At least I get to hear the local children laughing and playing during recess, as I live near four schools and near where the HWDSB is building its new ivory tower head office and massive parking lot.

All I ask in return is openness and accountability, where decisions are made in public, not behind a secret ballot.

This is not the same as secret ballot voting during federal, provincial and municipal elections.

I’m surprised some trustees can’t see the difference.

Allowing ARCs to vote in secret will allow members to say one thing in public, then do something else by secret ballot.

The decisions that have to be made are mathematical in nature, we have too few students with too many building to accommodate them with full programming.

I don’t have much faith in the ARC process as I get the feeling the decisions have already been made and the ARC meetings are window dressing.

Allowing secret balloting will only make the process less transparent and accountable to the public.

Mark-Alan Whittle
Hamilton Mountain

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