Heather Latter
The Rainy River District School Board won’t be purchasing cameras to mount on the outside of school buses to deter drivers from blowing past them when their signal signs are flashing.
Trustee David Kircher told those on hand for last Tuesday night’s meeting that the suggestion of external bus cameras was brought to the finance committee following a presentation by parent Randy Thoms at the board’s Nov. 3 meeting.
“What’s happening is, especially in front of our place, is people aren’t stopping for the school bus,” Thoms had noted, adding after speaking to the school bus driver, he’s become aware that motorists failing to stop happens fairly regularly.
And not just locally.
Thoms told trustees about a pilot project last year that saw cameras installed on 10 school buses in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
He noted the cameras, which average $1,500-$5,000 each, would be able to capture the licence plate number, a description of the vehicle, and a description of the driver in order to help make charges stick.
Thoms stressed he wasn’t asking for money—just support as he takes the matter to the provincial government.
“I’ve talked to Northern Development minister Michael Gravelle, I’ve talked to [local MPP] Sarah Campbell, who both believe that this should be something that is standard equipment on school buses,” he added.
But board chair Dianne McCormack suggested idea of cameras on school buses be sent to the finance committee to see if it is something the board should invest in.
“After discussing the research on the use of external bus cameras, the committee agreed that the current method the [transportation] consortium uses of capturing the necessary information has been effective in compiling sufficient data to provide to the police when an infraction occurs,” Kircher said last Tuesday.
He noted the extra investment would not necessarily guarantee that more data would be captured or deter infractions.
Kircher added the finance committee also felt the continued education of the public, students, and drivers/owners is very important as this has found to be effective in reducing the number of infractions.
Also at last Tuesday board meeting, trustees:
•saw Dianne McCormack nominated and acclaimed as board chair, as well as Michael Lewis nominated and acclaimed as vice-chair;
•saw Don McBride nominated and acclaimed as the Ontario Public School Board Association representative, with Ralph Hill nominated and acclaimed as the alternate;
•heard a presentation about “Project Sunset”;
•directed the board to write a letter to the minister of education respectfully requesting that the ministry, in consultation with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, continue and expand the process of developing Kindergarten-Grade 12 curriculum and learning resources on indigenous people in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools, as per Calls to Action 62 (i) and 63 (i) of the Truth and Reconciliation Report;
•approved the following policy: 1.60 (School Councils and Parent Involvement Committee);
•rescinded Policy 2.13 (School Councils);
•approved the following policy for stakeholder consultation: 7.22 (Emergency Response);
•approved the 2014-15 Financial Statements as presented;
•approved the details of the Unappropriated, Internally Appropriated, and Unavailable for Compliance components of Accumulated Surplus in the 2014-15 Financial Statements as presented; and
•approved trustee appointments to the board statutory, standing, and other committees as presented.
