UPDATE: Grandmother Sues Chilliwack School Board For Censoring Citizens
POSTED ON: OCTOBER 18, 2023
CHILLIWACK, BC: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that Chilliwack Board of School Trustees (the “Board”) has been sued for censoring and ultimately ending the public remarks of a Chilliwack grandmother at a public school board meeting on June 13, 2023. Filing her court action on October 6, 2023, Ms. di Armani drew attention to a video that shows the board’s chair and vice-chair repeatedly interrupting her and muting her microphone as she stood at the podium during a Trustee’s public meeting.
On June 13, 2023, Ms. di Armani, a former school employee and grandmother, attended the meeting of the Board to express her concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving an elected Board member. She began by saying that Trustee Teri Westerby had brought forward a motion that the Board support the Pride Month of June and raise a pole to fly the Pride flag.
As Ms. di Armani began to point out that Teri Westerby was also the director of marketing for the local Pride society, she was interrupted by the Chair, Willow Reichelt, in conjunction with Vice-Chair Carin Bondar claiming that Ms. di Armani’s remarks were “discriminatory” to a Board member.
Chairman Reichelt also told Ms. di Armani that Trustee’s names are not to be used during meetings and that there could be no conflict of interest because there was “no pecuniary interest.” Chairman Reichelt further stated, “when you are talking about a human right, there is no conflict of interest.” Over the course of the next two minutes, Ms. di Armani was interrupted four times and had her microphone cut off. At times, the audio for the entire meeting was muted, and there is simply silence on the public record. A full-length video of the proceedings, including the muted segments, is available on the School District’s YouTube Channel.
In addition to this violation of her own Charter-protected freedom of expression, Ms. di Armani also objects to the School Board’s policy of not allowing members of the public to make their own recordings of these public meetings. As she entered the meeting, she was required to sign an undertaking stating she would not record anything. With the School Board controlling the only recording of the meeting, and choosing to mute the recording, Ms. di Armani alleges that the School Board is violating the Charter-protected right of other people to hear, listen, and consider alternative viewpoints.
The Board was created by British Columbia’s School Act, which requires the Board to hold public meetings and to create bylaws to regulate those meetings. While the Chair is authorized to cut off the remarks of speakers who don’t comply with their bylaw, the Chair is not allowed to silence people simply because the Chair disagrees with what someone is saying.
Ms. di Armani seeks a court declaration that the Board exceeded its authority and infringed on her Charter Rights. She is also asking for Court Orders that would prevent the Board from acting in a similar censorious manner in the future, and that would allow members of the public to make their own recordings of these public meetings.
“Elected officials exercising government power must respect Canadians’ Charter freedoms,” states Marty Moore, counsel for Ms. di Armani. “The Chilliwack School Board’s actions in this case show complete disregard for the freedom of expression, not only of my client, but also of the listening public, who have a right to hear the views of others at Board meetings. Unfortunately, this kind of censorship is a regular occurrence at Chilliwack School Board meetings. We will be seeking Court orders to put an end to these violations of Charter rights and freedoms.”
Shared from https://www.jccf.ca/grandmother-sues-chilliwack-school-board-for-censoring-citizens/
Tyrants in Trustee’s Clothing – Fighting Back Against The Imposition of Woke Ideologies
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
Dear friend of the free society,
Willow Reichelt, Chair of the Chilliwack Public School Board, believes strongly in freedom of speech. Or at least her own freedom of speech.
At Chilliwack public school board meetings, Willow Reichelt practices “free speech for me, but not for thee.”
If you agree with her woke, progressive belief that children should be exposed to sexual information that parents deem inappropriate, Chair Reichelt will allow you to speak at public school board meetings in this small Fraser Valley city in southern British Columbia.
At a public meeting on February 7, 2023, Chair Reichelt was quick to cut off the microphones not only of parents, grandparents and concerned members of the public, but also the mic of her fellow elected trustee Heather Maahs.
Trustee Heather Maahs had asked whether there is a line at which the school board will admit that some “learning materials” are in fact too explicit for children as young as five years old.
It was a question that Chair Reichelt ultimately did not answer…
Chair Reichelt also cut off the mic of former trustee Dr. Darrell Fergason, who attended the February meeting as a concerned taxpaying citizen.
Since February 7, 2023, Chair Reichelt can be seen, as a matter of public record, shutting down debate or preventing debate from even getting off the ground, while chastising taxpayers, parents, citizens and some of her own elected colleagues who do not share her beliefs.
Children’s learning materials were on the agenda for a public school board meeting on February 7, 2023, drawing much public interest. Many members of the public, including parents and grandparents, were concerned about inappropriate and sexually explicit books being made available to students in Chilliwack.
Clearly anticipating parental backlash against their systematic attempts to sexualize innocent children, Chair Reichelt, along with her woke Vice-Chair Carin Bondar, went so far as to hire security guards to attend the meeting and enforce a new rule that prohibited attendees from making their own recordings of a public meeting!
Chair Reichelt muted the mics of people who say what she disagrees with, and also muted the entire recording. This means that members of the public who later watch the recording cannot know what was actually going on at the meeting, and cannot hear silenced citizens trying to explain to Chair Reichelt why they should be permitted to make their point.
Please take a moment to think about this…
Hiring bodyguards. Turning off mics. Muting the entire meeting. Preventing citizens from recording what was supposed to be a public meeting.
This is the result of government captured by activists and not responsive to parents, taxpayers or citizens.
| At another public school board meeting on June 13, 2023, Chairman Reichelt turned off the mic of Lynda di Armani, a former schoolboard employee who has two grandchildren in the BC public school system. Chair Reichelt declared that Ms. di Armani’s comments were “discriminatory” and cut off her mic four times in less than two minutes, which you can watch HERE from 24:02 to 26:56. The actions of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Chilliwack School Board display a gross abuse of office and a total disrespect for civic procedure. Acting as a government body, the School Board is also violating Ms. di Armani’s freedom of expression as protected by Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Not only did Chair Reichelt mute Ms. di Armani’s mic, she also silenced the entire recording so that there was no possibility of the listening public being able to hear Ms. di Armani’s responses to the baseless “points of order” raised against her. Bear in mind that public recordings of School Board meetings were unjustifiably banned through directives of the Board. Fortunately, Ms. di Armani decided to stand up to Chair Reichelt’s bullying. With the help of the Justice Centre, Ms. di Armani has commenced a court action to challenge the school board’s prohibition on public meetings being recorded, and the violations of Charter-protected freedom of expression. If you agree that no parent or grandparent should be silenced by ideological tyrants in local government who perniciously disguise themselves as human rights defenders, please consider helping the Justice Centre defend Ms. di Armani with an impactful contribution of $50, $100, $250 or $500. Your donation will send a loud and clear message to tyrants across Canada who maliciously obstruct parents while falsely masquerading as children’s advocates. Parents and families come before politics. Thanks to generous support from freedom-loving Canadians, the Justice Centre is willing and able to provide Ms. di Armani with the legal representation she needs to hold these tyrannical trustees to account. On October 6 of this year, a court action was filed against the School Board to stop it from censoring the speech of elected trustees and members of the public, and to ensure that meetings that are supposed to be public are in fact public. This lawsuit against the Board seeks to preserve freedom of speech in Canada: radical activists in local government need to think twice before forcibly silencing citizens who see through their tyrannical methods of governing. The sworn-and-signed affidavit of Ms. di Armani outlines what transpired at the February and June public board meetings, to present these sad facts to the court. I need to be clear: I sincerely wish that this was a unique situation… But the truth of the matter is that other school boards across Canada are behaving more and more like this one in Chilliwack, BC. You may recall Carolyn Burjoski, who has sued the Waterloo Region District School Board after the Chairman turned off Ms. Burjoski’s mic because she had raised concerns about age-inappropriate library books for children. The rampant problem of radical woke activists occupying school boards is having harmful effects on our children. |
| My sense is that if more Canadians like Lynda di Armani – freedom-loving citizens like you and me – stand up against radical school boards, and hold them accountable to our Constitution, together, we can send a strong message to closet tyrants parading as trustees. I ask you to take a stand with caring Canadian parents and grandparents like Lynda di Armani, and show citizens that they don’t have to be pushed around by radical activists in local government. Please consider helping the Justice Centre with $50, $100, $250, $500 or even $1000 so that we can fight for the rights and freedoms of Lynda di Armani and all Canadians. Yours for truth, justice and freedom,  John Carpay, B.A., LL.B. President Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms |
Shared from https://mailchi.mp/jccf/fighting-back-against-censorship-1157003
Chilliwack SD33 Petition: Willow Reichelt Trustee/Chair Must Resign or Be Removed
A petition to remove Chilliwack School District (SD33) chair Willow Reichelt has accrued over [5014] signatures [since April 18th] after it was started on the platform change.org.
Willow Reichelt, SD33 School Trustee/Chair, must resign or be removed
SIGN THE PETITION HERE. PLEASE SHARE
Read What The Signatories Are Saying
This interview can be viewed in full at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWO3w7CZLxo
During the beginning of the show, it’s explained that Action4Canada is not the author, or behind Cindy Carpenter’s petition.
ChillTV interviews Cindy Carpenter, concerned parent and author of online petition to remove Willow Reichelt as Chilliwack School Board Chair.
Reichelt has been at the centre of recent controversy at SD33 after a flood of parents complained that the school board was making sexually explicit material available to children.
The petition accuses Reichelt of censoring voices that don’t align with her progressive woke goals and belittling those who oppose her.
“As seen many times in public School Board meetings, Willow does not listen when parents, guardians and other residents of the Chilliwack community, attempt to voice their concerns. She will turn off their mic before they’ve finished speaking,” wrote Cindy Carpenter, who began the petition. (Story continues below)
The book, Identical, that the woman is reading from is available in Chilliwack, currently at the following schools:
- Chilliwack Secondary
- G.W. Graham
How much corruption is in Chilliwack?
https://fraservalleytoday.ca/2023/02/03/chilliwack-mla-dan-coulter-contributed-1800-to-school-board-candidates-in-2022-election
Chilliwack MLA Dan Coulter gave $1,000 to Willow Reichelt, who works in his constituency office and previously served with him on the school board, as well as $500 to David Swankey, $200 to Margaret Reid, and $100 to Teri Westerby
(According to campaign disclosure forms released Thursday (Feb. 2) by Elections B.C.)
Seen Enough? Sign NOW… or read on…
“She will also shut off the mic of fellow trustees, if their opinion doesn’t align with hers. She has also raised her voice, scoffed, laughed at and belittled, the ones trying to speak.”
The board recently censured Trustee Heather Maahs for claiming that parents belonged to their children after she raised issues with the district’s decision to put up obstacles in front of parents such as providing photo ID to attend public meetings.
The petition cites several comments from the public which include a former student who alleges that as a teacher, Reichelt “never allowed room for anyone’s thoughts or beliefs except her own.” (Story continues below)
4 min clip. Listen to Trustee Reichelt’s thoughts on Parent’s rights & (timestamp 1:40-ish she scoffs out loud when Trustee Maahs explains that the children belong to their parents.
“I highly believe it’s crucial to leave space for kids to discover their own opinions rather than being told what’s right and wrong – she would openly tell certain students she wished they were the only ones in the class etc. worst teacher I’ve ever had. honestly thought she got fired,” wrote the anonymous former student.
Shared from https://tnc.news/2023/04/20/petition-chilliwack-school-board/
EMAIL SD33 SCHOOL TRUSTIES HERE
SD33 parent launches petition to oust trustee, but board chair says online campaign isn’t true
Chilliwack Board of Education chair Willow Reichelt says an online petition meant to pressure her into resigning from public office is based on lies.
But the proponent of the petition found on change.org, Cindy Carpenter, says Reichelt has overstepped her authority as board chair and acted improperly and should resign or be removed. Carpenter says she is a parent of children enrolled in SD33.
“School Trustees, are put in place to engage their communities in building and maintaining a school system that reflects local priorities, values and expectations,” Carpenter wrote on the petition. “They are to listen to their communities, guide the work of their school district and set plans, policies and the annual budget. As seen many times in public School Board meetings, Willow does not listen when parents, guardians and other residents of the Chilliwack community, attempt to voice their concerns. She will turn off their mic before they’ve finished speaking. She will also shut off the mic of fellow trustees, if their opinion doesn’t align with hers.”
Reichelt argues the online campaign is grounded in falsehoods.
Some of the lies Willow quotes
Shuts off mic of Dr Ferguson
“This petition is rooted in lies,” Reichelt said. “It is demonstrably false to suggest that I do not allow comments I disagree with. What I don’t allow is comments about topics not on the agenda (the chair is required to ensure we follow our board meeting bylaw), comments that are discriminatory or defamatory, or comments that spread deliberate misinformation. Respectful disagreement is always allowed and encouraged. The people of Chilliwack had their chance to weigh in on this topic in the October municipal election and overwhelmingly selected candidates who support diversity and inclusion. I will continue to work hard to ensure that SD33 is a safe and welcoming place for all students, parents and staff.”
The online petition is reminiscent of multiple petitions that sought to shame then-trustee Barry Neufeld on the Chilliwack Board of Education. Neufeld never resigned but was not reelected in the October 2022 municipal election. One of the petitions against him generated over 20,000 signatures.
Meanwhile, Carpenter suggests that parents and concerned Chilliwack residents are not having their input received or valued at all. For example, she insists that parents and stakeholders have followed other procedures to try and be heard, but don’t have a venue to voice those concerns.
“How are the parents and concerned residents, supposed to get their valued opinions heard? After all, they encompass the first and final responsibility of their children and have every right not only to know what is happening in schools but have a say, if they are in disagreement,” Carpenter wrote on the petition. “Emails go unanswered or are replied with a generic response without addressing the initial concern. These residents have even requested a private meeting with each board member and the Superintendent and again, no acknowledgement. They’ve also spoken with teachers and principals who tell you, to take your concerns up with the Board. In turn, the Chair will tell you to take your concerns to your teachers and principals. A game of chasing one’s tail without resolution.”
In her emailed statement, Reichelt says there are people in Chilliwack who harbor anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment when it comes to learning resources.
“There is a tiny but loud minority in our city who don’t believe LGBTQ+ people [*Webmaster note: We’re referring to ‘children here*] have equal rights and who want LGBTQ+ representation excluded from learning resources,” Reichelt said. “They are working with like-minded people from across Canada and even outside the country to bully and harass me in an attempt to get me to resign.”
Carpenter claims Reichelt undermined the integrity of the teaching profession and teachers in SD33 by stating that “no one advocating book banning in 2022, has any business being involved in public education.”
As it pertains to removing Reichelt from office, only voters can do that at the ballot box every four years. Concerning the selection of board chair, Reichelt says that process occurs every year.
“The board chair is elected by the board each year and serves at the pleasure of the board,” Reichelt said. “If trustees want a change in leadership, they have the opportunity to make that choice every December. In addition, if at any point the board loses confidence in the chair, they can move to hold a new board election. There is no mechanism to remove an individual trustee from office. A previous trustee was asked to resign by every education partner and the Minister of Education, yet he remained until he was defeated in our recent municipal election.”
Carpenter argues that if Reichelt continues as chair or trustee, parents will have no choice but to take their kids elsewhere.
“If she does not resign or is not removed, you will see a countless amount of our children removed from public schools,” Carpenter wrote in her petition.
Petition circulating to dethrone woke Chilliwack school board chair
A petition was started on April 18, 2023 to oust Willow Reichelt from her position as Chilliwack School District (SD33) chair. The petition on change.org has collected over 3,000 signatures in three days.
The spotlight landed on Reichelt after a wave of parents expressed concerns that SD33 has sexually explicit materials available for chindren in the schools.
According to the petition, Reichelt censored voices that don’t support her progressive, woke ideals and disparages those who do.
“As seen many times in public School Board meetings, Willow does not listen when parents, guardians and other residents of the Chilliwack community, attempt to voice their concerns. She will turn off their mic before they’ve finished speaking,” wrote Cindy Carpenter, who began the petition.
“She will also shut off the mic of fellow trustees, if their opinion doesn’t align with hers. She has also raised her voice, scoffed, laughed at and belittled, the ones trying to speak.”
Trustee Heather Maahs was recently censured by the board for siding with parents and that their children belong to them not the school, Maahs attempted to ‘enshrine’ parental rights within the schools policy. The board is now demanding parents to provide photo ID to attend public meetings. It’s unclear if the collection of personal data will lead to proactive banning of some parents that don’t share the same views as the chair Willow Reichelt.
The petition cites several comments from the public which include a former student who alleges that as a teacher, Reichelt “never allowed room for anyone’s thoughts or beliefs except her own.”
“I highly believe it’s crucial to leave space for kids to discover their own opinions rather than being told what’s right and wrong – she would openly tell certain students she wished they were the only ones in the class etc. worst teacher I’ve ever had. honestly thought she got fired,” wrote the anonymous former student.
Shared from https://www.bcrise.com/local-news/petition-circulating-to-dethrone-woke-chilliwack-school-board-chair/
Read What The Signatories Are Saying
Ready to sign the petition? CLICK HERE