Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The Other Side of Northern Lights Hype

NovEight a.22,2017
Happy Birthday, my brother, Mr. Warren White
Happy Birthday Mrs. Sandra McConnell Krawciw,

    For the other side of this blog, I recommend the video available on the Internet of NLSD ( Northern Lights School Division ) Proud, re. Brabant Lake.

    In February 1996  we were living in the basement of the house of the late Mrs. Marie Cook of Southend . I received a phone call from Mr. Gideon Cook, the chairman of Brabant
Lake . He offered me a job as  Teacher Aid . Of course since both of us were presently unemployed I said yes. Mr. Cook said , there is about 20 students but our five children are the only ones who go.

    We immediately moved to Brabant Lake. All the children of the community immediately began to attend.  The teacher Ms. Carole Riviere hot plated ( burning dope) in the kitchen and was absent from the classroom many times. She often screamed in the halls and classroom. I, however thought things were going just fine as the school became a school. Only one or two older students could read.  Eight and nine year olds did not know their letters or sounds.

    Ms .Riviere ‘s boy friend,  Paul Montgrand  sold drugs from the teacherage. He and Carole would go to La Ronge every Thursday to pick up drugs to use and to sell. On Friday night one could get high just by walking out the door onto the road.

     In a day in early March I was informed there would be a meeting that evening. The Superintendent, Mr. Lobe would be there.  The teacher said people here don’t want to learn. They just want a baby sitter. Mable Charles, then ten years old ,told us that they were going to fire me because I was against drugs.  Naomi, our daughter rushed in the house yelling “ Mom, I was told  people who rat against drugs get shot.!"      I had my topic for my speech.

    Gideon Cook was the chairman. Some people took the opportunity to criticise his girl friend, Shirley Cook . The actual complaints were vague and forgetable.  I got up to speak and the Chairman left the room. The meeting according to him was over. The purpose was to fire me. I spoke about drugs and the drug behaviour of the teacher. This is the first of many occasions in the North in which I learned that the accused is not allowed a hearing.

    I attempted to find another teaching job, had a good interview at Senator Myles Venne School but I had been black listed.  We had no money and no reason to move. On March 25, 1996 we established L’ Ecole Notre Dame du Nord/ Our Lady of the North School. The first classroom was the kitchen table belonging to Northern Lights School Division . The second was an abandoned radio shack.  We began with six students, our five and one more.

    Gideon Cook continues to do everything including ordering murders to stop the school. The school continues.  Gay

P.S. Ms.Carole Riviere was killed by Paul Montgrande in the teacherage at Dillon, Sask. Mr. Montgrande received a sentence of five years. This was his second proven murder.