According to a handful of Ontario school boards police officers are not welcome on school (aka public) property because some students might be traumatized by the sight of a police officer in uniform.
Not sure what they do when they see a police car? Have a level four conniption?
Tied to this was a study that shows violent incidents in Ontario schools are on the rise.
Back when Baby Boomers went to school, they had fire drills. Today, they have lock-down drills.
So the question is, when there is a violent incident that puts the school in lock-down mode, who do they call for help? A parent? A social worker?
Of course not.
They put the welcome mat back out for the cops.
During the pandemic, one of the local activists complained in an op-ed piece about a police officer being posted at a vaccine clinic in the east-end of the city, next to the sub-station. (Police were hired for vaccine clinics in the province after threats of violence against staff.) Many disadvantaged folks, she claimed, are afraid of uniformed police officers, thus they might not want to attend the clinic. There was a suggestion that police visibility in poor neighbourhoods should be eliminated. At the same time a group working to improve living conditions in the east end called for more police in that part of the city.
Meanwhile, the president of a teachers’ union claims that the Ford government is to blame for the rise in school violence by not spending more money.
Look, the horse broke out of the barn long before the Ford gang took over at Queen’s Park.
For years veteran teachers talked about the gradual break-down of discipline in schools. Gone are the days when a problem kid feared the principal placing a call home. Gone are the days when the parent getting the call took care of the problem. Most parents had a teacher’s back. Too many times these days school officials get the old “What do you expect me to do?”
Remember the schoolmarm who pulled the kid by the ear for misbehaving? Well, today she would be charged with assault, sued and probably fired.
As Dylan sings, “Times are a changin’ “
THIS AND THAT Back in the other century – a time when baby boomers were growing up (some still are) – a University of Western Ontario (as it was called in the day) journalism prof offered four great questions when covering politics: 1) Who gets what?, 2) How?, 3) Why?, 4) How much? … With Cornwall enjoying some of the lowest electricity rates in the province, charging stations in the city could become a mecca for electric vehicle owners within easy driving distance.
SPORTS CLIPS Who could have imagined that a millionaire who goes by the name Snoop Dogg would have an inside track on owning a National Hockey League team (Senators). … Don’t hold your breath on Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment trading off a chunk of the $40 million quartet in the offseason, although Nylander may make his way to a new team willing to give him a big pay increase. . … The one statistics baseball doesn’t have is the number of times players spit during games. It is an epidemic. They even have a pitch called a spitter. … Bruins fired Bruce Cassidy after losing in the first round last season. Cassidy goes to Vegas. Fast forward to this season. Bruins lose in the first round with a new coach. The Cassidy-coached Knights are still playing. Go figure.
LOOKING BACK AT 1967 – A plaque commemorating the Pitt Street branch of the Bank of Montreal as Cornwall’s oldest branch was unveiled. The branch was established at Pitt and Second streets in 1857 and moved to 150 Pitt St. in 1912. It is now home to the fledgling arts centre. … Adolph Proulx, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie was named bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria. He was a native of Hanmer (near Sudbury). … A 50-pound safe stolen from the IGA store on Pitt Street was recovered three weeks later in a Ninth Street East garage. The safe, which contained $3,000, had not been opened. Police said there was evidence that the thieves tried to pry the door open. Inspector of Detectives Percy Riviere said police went to the residence on a “hunch.” … Separate school board trustees voted against school uniforms for girls, but they approved vending machines in schools to supply students with milk, pop, candy, pastry and potato chips. The vending machine company was giving the board a 5% kick back on sales. … The city welfare department said the number of recipients had declined to 1,620 from 2,013. … Cornwall Royals re-signed seven holdovers. Returning were Norm MacMillan, Bruce Surgeson, Bill Markell, Bill Snelgorve, Dave Snelgrove and Jim George who would be killed in an off-season car accident in 1968. Wayne Horn was being scouted by the Toronto Marlies and Ottawa 67’s. Prospects included Bob Curriere, Ken McDonald, Rocky Martin and Mike Ruest. … Toronto Maple Leafs defeated Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in game six to win the Stanley Cup. Ron Ellis, Jim Pappin and George Armstrong scored. … Five St. Lawrence High School players – Mike Cadieux, Gerry Lalonde, Gary Lalonde, Wayne MacDonald and Lionel Carriere – had invitations to the Ottawa Rough Riders high school camp. … Canadian Police Chiefs Association called for 1) The right to search homes without a warrant, 2) Right to arrest and hold suspects without charges, 3) Right to employ wire taps and electronic bugs without a warrant.
TRIVIA After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, “Who was that masked man?” Invariable, someone would answer, “I don’t know.” But he left his “calling card” behind. What was it?
TRIVIA ANSWER Don MacLean’s “The Day the Music Stopped” was a tribute to teen idol Buddy Holly who died in a plane crash.
QUOTED “Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.” – W. C. Fields
