A hallmark of a democratic society is elected officials who can be held accountable for their actions. A corollary would be publicly-run boards where the administrators can be held accountable by the elected officials who form the board.

In the southeast area, both the Cornerstone and Holy Family school divisions need to be called to answer for an action that is having severe repercussions for a family organization that has been recognized for their work across the country.

The provincial government designated Weyburn as a community in need of Pre-K funding - and that money rightfully should have gone to the Family Place for their Mini Go program. Instead, the school boards hijacked that money, without any consultation with the Family Place or with the parents who will be affected, and broad-sided them with the announcement they would be taking over this responsibility. Besides the total lack of communication, the other major problem here is the boards have no plan for what they're going to do, while killing a program that is highly effective and has been working and helping families for the past eight years.

As MLA Dustin Duncan (who happens to be on the Family Place board) said, "I don't think the school divisions provided the Family Place with enough information to justify pulling funding from the Mini Go school."

There are many, many questions the school boards need to answer - and if those answers are not forthcoming, the provincial government should step in and demand an answer from the boards for misappropriating the funding from a program that is already in place and is working to help students at risk or in need.

Among the answers, which the families affected are owed, not to mention the Family Place, are whether the same children who are currently receiving the top-quality help will be getting it through the school boards, and whether more children will be able to access the service than are currently being served by the Family Place?

If not, what would be the point of ruining a program that's already in place to come up with one that may or may not meet the same range of needs that the Family Place can now meet?

The Family Place has long been much more than just a family resource centre with great play rooms. They have been helping families of all types and sizes from all economic strata, and in recognition of their work, the community has supported them at all manner of fundraiser events, like the annual Festival of Trees, pasta nights, and with large corporate donations, including specifically to the Mini Go program.

These donors from the community, and the families who have been helped, are all owed answers; what's more, they are owed justice in this situation. Action needs to be taken to ensure the right thing is done, especially for the sake of the children, for whom the Family Place is dedicated to working to help give them a better life. - Greg Nikkel