Parents of students at the city’s two Catholic elementary schools will be able to drive their kids to the Hans Janssen Regional Track & Field meet today (Monday) in London.
The meet had been scheduled for last Thursday but was rained out.
It first appeared the St. Thomas students would not be permitted to compete, based on an email sent Friday afternoon from administrators at Msgr. Morrison and St. Anne’s Catholic elementary schools.
The email sent to parents stated, “We regret to inform you that, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to secure transportation for the upcoming (June 2nd) Track and Field meet. All possible options have been thoroughly explored through STS (Student Transportation Services), but unfortunately, no buses are available.
“Due to the short notice and lack of transportation, we have no choice but to cancel the track meet for both Monsignor Morrison and St. Anne’s Catholic elementary schools.”
Several parents wrote to myFM, including Katie Charette, who noted, “With all they preach about fairness and equality, it sure is inequitable to only exclude the St. Thomas schools from a board sports championship and affects hundreds of student athletes.”
Elizabeth Reavely added, “To date, the Board has failed to respond to follow-up emails or offer any additional explanation. Nearly 200 students from St. Thomas are being excluded from an event that their peers across the district continue to access. This is inequitable, unjustifiable, and reflects a disturbing failure of leadership and planning.
“Worse still, parents attempting to voice their concerns online are finding their comments deleted from LDCSB’s official social media pages. This silencing of respectful community feedback is unacceptable in a public institution that claims to prioritize transparency, engagement, and student well-being.”
myFM reached out over the weekend to Bill Hall, Elgin trustee with the London District Catholic School Board to clarify cancellation of the event for the two schools.
Over the weekend, parents blitzed the school board with emails expressing their frustration with the last-minute cancellation.
The email demanded that the situation be rectified immediately. Specifically:
• Secure transportation or reschedule the event for the impacted schools
• Reallocate transportation resources—including taxis or alternate arrangements for closer schools—to accommodate St. Thomas students
• Provide a clear, public explanation of how and why this situation was allowed to happen
• Present a concrete plan to ensure equitable access and prevent this from recurring
On Sunday, the school board advised that parents and guardians would be able to transport their children to the event.
Reavely faulted the school board for how it handled the re-scheduling of the event.
“Excluding an entire community days before a regional event is not just negligent — it’s symbolically damaging. It dishonours the legacy of Hans Janssen, who devoted his career to making sports accessible for all students, and it further erodes trust between the LDCSB and the families it serves.”
Written by Ian McCallum
