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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 7h

This reminds me I have a bunch of old 90s Pistons stuff on VHS that I should convert some day! Horse power 4 lyfe

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 8h

Excellent points from WRDSB Trustee @scottpiatkowski.bsky.social. 👇

Scott Piatkowski @scottpiatkowski.bsky.social · 10h

Thanks to @thewalrus.ca for agreeing to publish my thoughts on the proposed elimination of school trustees in Ontario.

#OntEd

thewalrus.ca/im-a-school-...

I’m a School Trustee, and Doug Ford Wants to Eliminate My Job | The Walrus

What parents will lose: no one to answer their emails, fight for safe crosswalks, hold the system to account

thewalrus.ca

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 1d

Me after playing too much Silksong. Man, that game requires some athletic controller work. 🤕

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 1d

The rationale for Doug Ford banning speed cameras is that they work too well? The statistics in his letter make them sound amazing! What a great windfall for municipalities who are starved for revenue. And it's interesting how certain phrases are weaponized, like "cash grab."

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

From blue skies to fiery sunset.

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

One of my favourites is the Princess Street Promenade, where they close a huge section of downtown for the day. It's awesome to see people walking and enjoying what downtown has to offer without cars getting in the way.

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Kingston does an awesome job creating events and reasons for folks to come downtown: concerts, art installations, coffee bars, public skating rink, outdoor movies, festivals, dance lessons, etc.

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

☁️

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

I think this was the post in case you were curious. 🙂

bsky.app/profile/mike...

Mike Vorkunov @mikevorkunov.bsky.social · 3d

It feels like people are continuing to trickle onto Bluesky and we're getting more users here. If you're looking for NBA and WNBA accounts to follow, I've got a starter pack for you. Just click the button and follow everyone
go.bsky.app/FGmgtea

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Someone put together a starter pack of NBA folks to follow, and I'm one of your new followers because of it. 😂

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Here's a copy of the letter sent to the Minister of Education from the Limestone District School Board affirming the importance of local, democratically elected representatives.

October 2, 2025
Dear Minister Calandra,
With the support of my fellow Trustees and a formally approved motion, as the Chair of the Limestone District School Board, I am writing to you regarding your comments suggesting that Ontario's elected school Trustees be removed from the governance model of public education.
In addition, you have suggested potentially different outcomes for the boards of Catholic and French first language school boards which may be politically expedient for the provincial government but is nonsensical and inequitable from a practical perspective given the important local voice that Trustees provide, regardless of their board affiliation. Given the importance of this issue, I would like to request that you engage with the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) at your earliest convenience to ensure you are hearing the perspective of all English public school boards in the province of Ontario.
The Board of Trustees of the Limestone DSB affirms the critical role of Trustees as democratically elected and accountable public officials, and calls on you as the Minister of Education, and the provincial government, to abandon any potential proposal to systematically remove Trustees or abolish elected district school boards, regardless of their affiliation and the communities they serve.
We firmly believe that local voices are essential in shaping and serving the communities we serve as Trustees. Just as MPPs represent communities at the provincial level, school Trustees represent families and students in education. Trustees play a critical role in ensuring effective governance by requiring transparency, accountability, and community engagement in local schools.
While principals, superintendents, and directors of education are employees of the school board who operate based on the directives of the Ministry of Education, Trustees provide an independent voice that ensures local concerns are heard at the decision-making table.
Families may reach …

Eliminating Trustees would silence local input and further concentrate decision-making at Queen's Park. Locally elected Trustees provide a critical check and balance between provincial initiatives and local priorities. For example, while the province allocates funds for school boards to use, Trustees influence how that funding is allocated to best meet local needs. There is already a perception that too many decisions are made based on the needs of large urban centres, instead of being sensitive to local and rural needs.
Additionally, school boards have long been recognized nationally and internationally as a strength by balancing consistency across the province with responsiveness to local circumstances. At a time when your government continues to emphasize the importance of parent/guardian/family voice, engagement with local communities, and greater transparency, your suggested plan of removing Trustees would run counter to government messages focused on school boards in recent years.
The current structure of publicly elected school board Trustees creates accountability because Trustees must face their communities every four years. The removal of Trustees would shift accountability solely to provincially elected MPPs. This impact would be real, and school district communities would lose their local voice.
We are asking you to further engage with school boards and OPSBA to better understand all our roles in supporting publicly funded education, representing families, and representing local concerns. Local communities need more, not less, voice in education. Your potential plan for removing Trustees would do irreparable harm to local voice in shaping education in the province of Ontario. We hope you will reconsider your proposed plan and value the critical role of Trustees and school boards in Ontario.
Yours in Education,
Karen McGregor
Chair of the Limestone DSB

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 3d

I'm a big fan of Run For Something in the States and think there are lots of talented folks who could be positive politicians. But the fear of toxicity or being swallowed by the system probably prevents good people from stepping up. It can be scary paddling alone against the currents.

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 3d

I think this thread parallels the way some people think about political systems: why get involved and try to change a system that has never helped people like me? Is it better to remove yourself from the toxicity of that system or stick it out and try to influence others to row in your direction?

Rachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 3d

I’m honestly so torn about what to do about posting on X.

Like Kat makes such an important point here.

That said, in Canada at least, many important decisionmakers and public pundits exclusively scroll there — and seem to derive some understanding of public sentiment from it (terrifying, I know).

Kat Tenbarge @kattenbarge.bsky.social · 4d

As an internet culture journalist, I think it’s important for me to continue to observe the depravity that goes viral on X, but one of the reasons I’m glad I stopped posting there is because I think it helps me avoid normalizing the rhetoric celebrating the political brutality in America right now

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 4d

Who benefits from the removal of locally elected trustees? A government that wants to consolidate power, have more control over things like land acquisition and surplus properties, and fewer checks and balances.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Ontario will have a plan to get rid of school trustees by end of year: minister | CBC News

Ontario's education minister says he'll have a plan by the end of the year to possibly eliminate trustees from school boards across the province.

www.cbc.ca

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 4d

"I would like to see, generally, a less adversarial relationship between school boards and the Ministry," says the Chair of the Upper Canada District School Board. The Ministry, adversarially, has discussed eliminating school board trustees.

www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

www.cbc.ca

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 5d

Played basketball last night for the first time since June and realized it's probably time for new shoes. The ones I wear might be 20 years old. 😬 Ordered these Jokic shoes to align with my "Old Dad At The Y" game.

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 6d

The fall of Cthulhu

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 7d

Riding a horse last night. 🐴

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 7d

This Aces/Fever elimination game is incredible. Basketball rules. 🏀💪

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 8d

Cat on the roof of my car for some reason.

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 8d

The next Limestone District School Board Education, Policy, and Operations Committee meeting is Wednesday, Oct 1 at 5:30 pm. You can find the agenda and livestream link here:

www.limestone.on.ca/documents/c7...

www.limestone.on.ca

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 9d

Wow, Freaks and Geeks came out 26 years ago. Doesn't feel like that long! Maybe it's time for a rewatch.

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 10d

Nice night for horse riding!

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 14d

"In the survey, 57% of respondents agree with the statement that 'the main problem for Ontario schools is underfunding, not school board trustees,' and that trustees provide local accountability."
www.cp24.com/local/toront...

Ontarians skeptical of eliminating school board trustees: poll

A new public opinion poll finds Ontarians aren’t clamouring to eliminate school board trustees and are skeptical such a change would improve the education system.

www.cp24.com

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Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 14d

Cool drone image of trees in Kingston changing colour. By SkEye Stream.

Colourful treetops shot from overhead by a drone. Creekford road in Kingston.