Parents get behind fight to keep principal

Parents in Brockville are getting behind a principal's opposition to being transferred from Thousand Islands Secondary School in Brockville. The school council is lobbying the board to reverse its decision on Arlie Kirkland's transfer out of the school.

"We're basically making sure we don't leave any stones unturned," said school council co-chairman Gord Eamer of continuing the fight to keep Kirkland at TISS.
The council is arguing both the community outcry in recent weeks, including a mass student walkout, and the Upper Canada District School Board's own Character Always! initiative, which stresses treating all people with integrity and respect, support keeping Kirkland where she is and not forcing her to transfer to another school.
Kirkland indicated in an interview in May she planned to retire next year after the TISS celebration while at the same time concluding her 40-year career in education. The board, meanwhile, posted her transfer to Rideau District High School in Elgin effective this fall.
"That is something they, senior management, should have been aware of and basically when they found out, they should have been able to make the adjustment," said Eamer.
"You've got a senior principal eligible for retirement and you would think they would have that discussion with her before her transfer was announced," Eamer said.

We only heard from Kirkland's lawyer in the first coverage of this, when she launched the lawsuit. I'd still love to hear from the principal herself.