HE SAID, SHE SAID...WATERLOO REGION DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD (WRDSB)

Yesterday's Waterloo Region Record carried this astonishing story plus photograph on their front page titled "Bullying policy put to the test". Allegedly a male custodian "displayed" a nude photograph on his cellphone of a young girl to an adult female custodian at a union meeting. Apparently there were no other witnesses and no corroboration including after a police investigation which included examining the man's phone and computer. He was suspended with pay by the School Board for four months while the police investigated. No charges were laid.

Allegedly again he retaliated by phoning in a death threat to the woman and by driving by her house and making a threatening gesture. Once again no corroborating witnesses or evidence was found. Somehow on a balance of probability basis a Justice of the Peace found him guilty of these threats and has ordered he be the subject of a peace bond. Again it seems to be all a case of he said, she said. If her testimony is 100% accurate and honest then this fellow is a very bad apple. On the other hand if his testimony is 100% accurate then this woman is one mean, malicious, bullying individual. Somwehere inbetween I wonder if his "displying" a nude picture was more a case of her peeking at it versus being intentional and furthermore if what she viewed as a "young girl" was an eighteen or nineteen year old who looked younger. Make no mistake it is highly inappropriate to be looking at nude photos of anyone either at work, a union meeting or where someone nearby can see them but it isn't illegal. Also he has totally denied having any kind of nude photos on his cellphone and there is no corroborating evidence that he did.

Something is very wrong in this whole process. He was off work for four months albeit paid. He is the subject of a peace bond. If he has done nothing illegal much less inappropriate then he is the victim here as she has severely damaged his reputation. He denies any retaliation or threats. She claims to be scared to go to work, leave her home or even go shopping. The WRDSB are possibly simply covering their butts by hiring a security guard to walk her from her car to the school where she works. If and I emphasize if this fellow is really such a menace then she is in trouble wherever. The security guard is most likely unarmed and this woman is also not even remotely protected anywhere else. This to me is a case of where the police should be doing a serious background check on both individuals. One would think that as they are both in the employ of a school board and in close contact to children; that has already been done. If both have no criminal histories then maybe it's time to look at mental health issues. Somebody has gone way overboard here and deescalation all the way around is necessary. This most definitely includes ensuring that neither is working with or in proximity of the other ever again.