Posted By: Cindy Joncas
Dear Leigh,
I read your posting and I felt most qualified to answer your question. Last year I ran for a position on OPS board. I thought I could make a positive difference in the lives of our children. A large group of politically positioned individuals in the OEA, PTOs and the administration found me to be a threat because I was an independent thinker and would not go along with the status quo. Therefore, my candidacy was to be destroyed at all cost. I have worked my entire life accruing the respect of my peers professionally and socially, so I was stunned to be so vilified. I am a very hard working soul with the dedication to do the "RIGHT THING" no matter who's looking. Unfortunately, these people started on an unbelievable attack campaign to destroy my credibility. LIES AND LIES were spread throughout this community about me. However worse than that, they came after my children. They investigated my children's prior school history, recorded meetings without my knowledge or permission, and the sickest of all, a principal sat by and did nothing, knowing this was going on without my knowledge or consent. It was particularly disturbing that details about my children were being discussed and recorded publicly. NOW, I ask you, what did my kids have to do with any of this? I also received email and phone threats, and my husband and I had to remove our children from school the last week of the campaign because they were being verbally harassed. All because their mother was running for a volunteer position. What it comes down to is that people who want to protect their power structure at all costs will go to extreme measures. We were able to trace the IP addresses from the threatening emails and we were advised to take them seriously. And, this is just the tip of the ICE BERG! I am very thankful for this website which has given people in our community a place where they can express their ideas in very safe and respectful arena. If anyone would like to speak with me further, feel free to call me. Nothing you could say would be worse than what my family endured last year!
Cindy Joncas RRT BA BSN RN