For their efforts to retain the IB Programme in the face of its imminent cancellation, a radical citizen action group, called WAVES, in a small town just south of Pittsburgh, PA, received an "Inspiration Award" from the International Baccalaureate North America. Members of this group harassed the Board of Directors and their families and disrupted School Board meetings. Finally, the local police were called in to restore order and ensure the safety of the Directors and the public. Even in he face of police presence, defiant WAVES members were dragged from the podium by the police officers. One member ( who is actually a child therapist....Yes that is true!) was videotaped verbally assaulting and harassing a Board member. The police investigated and questioned the attacker who admitted her act. In the press release, IBO commends WAVES for "control of local education at its finest". We have attached a copy of the press release from the WAVES group as well as several descriptions of the action which this group took, the costs involved, both financial and emotional, and the outcome. The IBO rewarded these people with an international award. This action defies reason and makes one wonder about the type of educational organization which would reward and condone such behavior. Why would the IBO involve itself in a local controversy? Some argue that parents are somehow convinced that the IB programme is indespensible. These parents buy in and do whatever is necessary to keep it for their children. Like the leader of a cult, IBO has rewarded its followers for the actions they take to preserve it. IBO has even gone so far as to make personal statements against IB opponents. You can investigate for yourself and draw your own conclusions. We have gathered here documents which chronicle the action taken by WAVES and the subsequent "Inspiration Award," given by IBO. Click HERE for IBO description of Award.
"What matters is how this group of citizens, in a matter of only a few months, mobilized a whole community in support of quality education. This was local control of education at its finest." ~IBO
Harassment of citizens, attacks against the children of board members, death threats, disruption of public meetings, defying police officers, damaging private property, false litigation, physical assaults against board members, vicious verbal assaults, and making false accusations. This is the behavior rewarded by the IBO. Again we ask "What kind of organization rewards such behavior?"
2006 Inspiration Award
Video of Harassment...We are sorry, the MPEG files are greater than 100 MB each and cannot be uploaded. It shows a female school director accosted and harassed by a woman who is a child therapist from Upper St. Clair [believe it or not!]. The director tries to run away from her attacker, but the attacker pursues her from the school lobby to the parking lot.
