Investigate The Calgary Board Of Education
Tirtha Mohanta is 11 years old and has a form of autism spectrum disorder that renders him non-verbal.
His family chose Pineridge School because it had staff they knew and trusted and only eight students in Tirtha's class (each also with special needs).
According to his father, when Tirtha left for Pineridge School on May 29th, he was happy and healthy.
He returned home traumatized and with injuries, including bite marks and other wounds.
The Mohanta family immediately took Tirtha to the doctor.
The doctor concluded it was impossible for the injuries to be self-inflicted and that abuse was likely.
Based upon the boy's size and the wounds’ locations, he concluded they almost certainly came from an adult.
The Mohanta family asked his school what had happened.
The school ignored them.
The Mohanta family didn't give up, of course, and demanded a formal investigation.
The CBE investigated itself, and eventually concluded that it did nothing wrong:
“No staff member observed any incident or interaction that could account for these injuries occurring at school."
Later, however, Pineridge School staff told them that an educational assistant had seen the marks between 10:30 am and 11:00 am and reported them to a teacher.
Tirtha's parents, remember, were left in the dark for the entire day, until he came home.
Tirtha's bus driver suggested the parents view a video recording of his bus trip, but the CBE claimed the video recording device was never enabled.
The CBE also tried to blame a “misunderstanding” during the investigation on a “language barrier”, but the Mohantas’ English is excellent.
So, what, exactly, happened?
We still don't know.
For once, even the CBE has not reflexively claimed this is a funding issue.
Their report makes it clear:
"The investigation also concluded that the class was adequately supervised.”
But that just means there is something more fundamental to blame.
Clearly, something happened at school that day.
Parents (and students) deserve more transparency if we are to continue to have confidence in Alberta's largest school authority.
If you agree, please sign our petition asking the Minister of Education to ensure a full investigation is conducted into the Calgary Board of Education to determine what happened.
No child should be harmed at school.
No parent should be kept in the dark about what happens at school.
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