CHIEFS NO LONGER THE MASTERS OF THEIR OWN FATE IN BCHL PLAYOFFS Need Nanaimo to beat Vees for post season to continue
times
The Mann behind the Spirit
Chilliwack
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THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015
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Dawkins book denied distribution in schools A BY GREG LAYCHAK glaychak@chilliwacktimes.com
n educational charity organization claims that its submission of a textbook to the Chilliwack school district was not fairly considered when it was denied entry into public school circulation last month. In late February, Centre for Inquiry
Superintendent says The Magic of Reality doesn’t meet criteria; Trustee Neufeld says Bibles available in schools Canada (CFIC) received a letter from Superintendent Evelyn Novak that rejected CFIC’s submission of The Magic of Reality, a textbook by Richard Dawkins, for consideration to be distributed to Grade 5 students over
the March break. And in March, CFIC tried again to get more clarity from the district but said explanation received was still insufficiently detailed, lacking information about how guidelines were
applied in the decision. Novak told the Times she denied the book based on the board and administration guidelines as well as referring to the Ministry of Education’s selection processes.
Specifically, the Dawkins resource was noted to be biased and didn’t fit other guidelines the district currently considers significant considerations. “What we’re trying to do with our resources is certainly include Canadian content and infuse our curriculum with First Nations perspectives and literature as we’re bringing in { See SCHOOL, page A20 }
Her mobility stolen by heartless thieves BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
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hen thieves stole Laura Kew’s wheelchair on Monday, they stole the six-year-old girl’s independence. “We just want our daughter to have her legs back,” Laura’s mother Charlene told the Times. “That wheelchair is her legs, her independence to be a kid.” Laura has cerebral palsy and is unable to walk on her own. Her motorized wheelchair was in the back of a customized minivan in the driveway of the family’s Fairfield Island home. And in the early hours of Monday morning someone stole the van. The Kews took to social media to ask for help with the recovery of the vehicle that was so much more important to the family than a regular car or van. Then, later in the day Monday,
“We just want our daughter to have her legs back. That wheechair is her legs, her independence to be a kid.”
{ See THIEVES, page A4 }
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- Charlene Kew
they got a hopeful call from police saying that the van was recovered. Laura’s dad Kevin rushed to the lot where it had been towed to and while he wasn’t allowed to examine it because police still had to take fingerprints, he saw inside. “He just saw that it was totally destroyed inside,” Charlene said. “The roof was exposed, wiring was pulled out, there was mud in it and there was garbage everywhere.” But most importantly, the $6,000 lift for her wheelchair—which was donated in part by another family who had lost a child—had been ripped out, damaged and thrown back in. And Laura’s custom-fitted wheelchair valued at between $12,000 and $14,000 was gone. “Van was found... inside is DESTROYED... wheelchair gone! NO WORDS...” Charlene posted on her Facebook page.
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