Editor: Over the past three months we’ve been hearing about Canmore Collegiate High School (CCHS) and its’ plans to change the Crusader name.
The principal of the school, who spearheaded the whole idea, makes it sound like this was a discussion that was already happening and he just gently facilitated it along to its current conclusion.
That is absolutely laughable, as in talking to many current students and even some faculty, it has become quite clear in my opinion that this was an agenda driven process, pushed through under the guise of inclusiveness.
Students and staff are afraid to speak up out of fear, and even students who are a part of the committee feel as though they have very little say.
Is that any way to promote inclusiveness and understanding?
Former students and faculty have expressed to both the principal and the school board chair their thoughts about the change, and did either of them decide to stand up and address some of those concerns? No.
Instead almost every one of them was ignored, in my opinion.
CCHS is a public institution and a big part of the Town of Canmore’s identity, as its students and faculty represent Canmore all over the place.
As such, while they are free to decide what they want to do, I’m sure that even they would agree that having the general public standing with them is in their own best interest.
But they have dropped the ball completely on this and that is what is causing a lot of people to be upset with the whole situation.
I myself am against the name change, but if the process was handled properly, then this decision may or may not have still have been made, but at least all of the stakeholders would’ve been represented.
There are far more important issues at CCHS such as bullying and acceptance, but when the leadership of CCHS are acting in this manner, then I fear for the growth of CCHS as a whole.
Chris Pelletier,
Calgary
