Kingston family claims bureaucracy is denying children education program opportunity – Kingston

A Kingston family is frustrated that two of their children may miss out on a great learning opportunity because of school board bureaucracy.

An education program offered by the Limestone District School Board is open to children who are with the Catholic board. But the family says schools have been directed not to fill in the necessary paperwork.

“It was tough. They’re worried and I’m trying to assure them,” said Monica Buchan.

The mother of three says she’s frustrated her kids might miss out on a better education because of bureaucracy.

Her two oldest, who attend a Catholic school with the Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, recently applied to a much sought-after program called “Choices at 7,” offered by the Limestone District School Board.

The program offers enriching courses outside of the classroom as well as lessons on time management and self-sufficiency.

“The program seemed like it was — is — going to be great headway for my son to manage some of those before he gets to high school,” Buchan said.

Acceptance to the program is competitive; Grade 7 students who are accepted from across all three local school boards are assessed based partly on written feedback from the child’s school.

However, earlier this month, Buchan says she was contacted by the program to say her children’s applications were incomplete because it had not received the necessary paperwork from the teachers at her children’s school.

Buchan says those teachers told her it was because they had been instructed not to by leadership with the school board.

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Global News reached out to ALCDSB director David Desanti, who was not available for comment, but the school board did provide a statement: “The Limestone District School Board has not involved the senior team at the ALCDSB in their alternative education application process or asked for input.”

“It is a business,” Buchan said. “At this point, that’s kind of where this is coming from on their end. It’s a business for the boards to have the students in their board but, again, it’s children’s education.”

And Buchan’s children are not alone.

The LDSB told Global News this is the first year receiving teacher references has been an issue.

“LDSB agreed to, for those few applications that do not have a teacher reference form completed, we will adjust the criteria proportionally to support their application,” the board said.

Buchan’s children are still waiting to hear back about whether they have a spot in the program. The deadline is March 3.

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