I cannot tell you the number of times I have had someone who works in government tell me this:
“If things were as bad as you say they are, then we would see more complaints being filed.”
Which is BS. As we all know. There is a long list of reasons why parent(s)/guardians aren’t filing complaints.
The reality of this statement is, in terms of “systems”, if no one complains, it’s like it never happened.
When you file a complaint, your complaint becomes part of the data that the external complaint system collects, and annual reports become public-facing. It also informs the individual staff what is happening in education. This is at the micro level of advocacy. People’s stories do change and inform people working in these systems. Filing complaints creates data. It’s one thing if things happen to a few people, then the system blames the individuals. But complaints about the same issue from a lot people, now people take notice. Now the red flags get raised. Data makes our lived experience undeniable. Complaints filed in external processes have the potential to make micro-level and macro-level impacts.
Just like in court, evidence is required. To create public policy, you also need evidence. You can’t just make vague assertions on what you are seeing in the media or hearing through the grapevine from people. Although, this is often what will trigger people’s inquiries into the subject. Governments/organizations need concrete data. They need lived experiences through their own collection. Secondary data, from someone else, in research terms can be called dirty data, when you are using data that you didn’t collect, you need to “clean it”. They need evidence that is reliable and valid.
There are people reading our complaints. It does inform them. It does provide them with information. Information can change how people think and how they approach situations at work.
You can’t unring a bell.
So, if nothing else…even if your complaint doesn’t lead to the outcome you want, filing alone is advocacy.
The Ombudsperson BC investigation into exclusion is an example of how the volume of complaints triggered action. The survey is open until April 1st.
I have had an interesting conversation with a parent recently and they were weighing the pros and cons of filing a human rights complaint. They really liked the idea of someone just reading their complaint. Anyone. The fact that someone was going to find out what had happened to them.
I have to say, I get it. When I was testifying at my child’s hearing it lasted a full day. I was so excited to testify. I couldn’t wait. I remember thinking if nothing else, and this hearing ends after a couple of days, I have had the opportunity to lay everything out in detail to someone and they have had to LISTEN TO ME. It was literally their job to listen to every word I said. They had to really pay attention and not come up with arguments in their head while they were listening to me. Their job was literally to intensively listen to me. I literally felt like I lost 10o pounds after that testimony day. Someone heard me. AND this person is a tribunal member who makes decisions and will be making more decisions in the future about education cases. I wanted them to know just how bad this stuff is. They asked me before the hearing if another tribunal member could observe my testimony day, as they were onboarding new tribunal members. I was like….ABSOLUTLEY! I felt like, hey…you want to invite all the tribunal members, sure! Bring EVERYONE!!!
Some parents have felt that a settlement meeting brings similar peace. It forces the school district to listen to them. Settlement meetings can last all day if needed. Many school districts deal with parents by just ignoring them. Wrong move school districts. Parents with unmet needs are going to find other ways to get them met and I guarantee you, you aren’t going to like it.
If nothing else….
Your child’s experience will count.
Your experience will count.
It won’t be like it didn’t happen.
It did happen!
And someone is going to read about it, and it will be absorbed into their knowledge and awareness of whatever position of power they are in.
If nothing else….someone is going to hear you.
It’s okay to take up space.