APTN National News
Six months after enduring a tirade from a supervisor, a staff member at an elite British Columbia private school says going to work is now unbearable.
Corinne Baker says she has complained to the provincial human rights commission after the school gave a mere slap on the wrist to a supervisor who allegedly said “Indians are dirty filthy pigs.”
APTN National News reporter Rob Smith has more.
Oh please, now you are reaching. A real news station must be unbiased, show all the facts and not be catered to a certain group of people. You may try and make me come off as racist but you will have no luck in succeeding.nnAs for bluegrouse, it is very convenient for you that you seem to be the only one who has seen said documents. Either you are Corrines lawyer, (highly unlikely going by your use of grammar) Corrine herself, or a family member of hers. Either one, it makes your comments irrelevant and lacks credibility. No need to reply, you have already made yourself appear uneducated and useless in the matter. Oh, and before you accuse me, this has nothing to do with you being a First Nations.
I guess people are finally starting to see things for themselves ! I dont think these people that are supporting Ms Baker or first nations are showing any ignorance they are calling a spade a spade thats all and i guess the truth hurts. Well i guess you are not priveledged enough to see all the documents or maybe Ms Nelson has kept a few comments she has written on paper to herself, lets just say that this is what she has written and you have not yet had the opportunity to see the document i speak of yet. nYou make the comment ” You say that adults should be setting an example for children…what example are you setting? That is ok to bash other people, lie and exaggerate situations?” We are setting an example for our children that Bullying and this racist type of behaviour will not be tolerated or at the very least let go unchallenged and that at some point people have to start standing up to these bullies and racists. The only one who has lied is Ms Nelson, and the written statements and appology letter’s speak for themselves. She says one thing in one letter and signs it and in the next letter totally denies making any comments at all LMAO ! You speak of evidence, well lets say there is plenty of it to back up these allegations, some people play their cards right and it will all come out when it is appropriate.nn
It seems to me that your criticism of the APTN could be considered as you put it to be a” negative comment about the Native race”. Calling a legitimate news service unreal and bias because of it’s First Nation connection is certainly negative and just makes your prejudice obvious.
It is unbelievable to me how some commenters on here can say how awful this woman is, yet you all are displaying extreme levels of ignorance yourselves. bluegrouse, you seem to think you know a lot about this situation, should I be accusing you of being Corrine or a member close to her? You say that adults should be setting an example for children…what example are you setting? That is ok to bash other people, lie and exaggerate situations? nnCan you please explain where Chris Nelson brings up her children? I don’t see that in this report or any other for that matter. Is this another thing you have fabricated? You should really read thoroughly what other people say. I have not once said anything negative about the Native race and clearly with the amount of “evidence,” neither has Mrs. Nelson. If you think any REAL new publication is going to post this bias nonsense, I’m afraid you are sadly mistaken.nnIn addition, if Mrs. Nelson has such a hatred towards First Nations why has she had one living with her for the past year? After accusing me of being Mrs. Nelson, please think again seeing as she is not even in the country at this moment.
livefree must be a twin the compassinate church goer. Brentwood college believes in having a manager that is in contact with students of different races. that says alot itself.Be aware people don’t change. Ms Nelson has brentwood fooled .Who do you think smarter Chis Nelson OR the school.
Well nanacake, by doing what you are doing is supporting her i would think. A little birdie told me that the BC Human Rights Tribunal has accepted the complaint, now you do know Brentwood has deep pockets and might resort to using under handed tactics in order to save their reputation dont you! I hear they have gone out and hired a high priced lawyer in hopes that this will stifle the victim. Kinda of funny the vicitm is now the bad one or at least Brentwood is trying to make it look this way. I think Brentwood is doing their best to have this disapear and yes they have hushed it up. They have sent mass email to all staff and students telling them not to talk, i think this is a fear tactic. One knows many things can be dreampt up in order to fire someone, you have hit the nail on the head nana, employees are scared to speak their mind for fear of being terminated and when you rely on them for your income and have the potential to be fired one should fear these underhanded tactics.. I think if staff were not told not to talk this would be a differant story. Remember money talks, some have more than others and it is amazing what one will do to make a buck. To hell with integrity thats all thrown out the window its all about damage control.
Does anyone have any ideas as to how we can show support for Corinne Baker? I don’t know anything about how the Human Rights organization operates but wonder if there may be a way to petition them asking for this case to be heard. Does aptn pass their news stories onto other media? Could local media in the Cowichan Valley be asked to print the story or has Brentwood College hushed it up there allready. Any other suggestions?? I guess Brentwood employees are afraid to comment but those of us who are not relying on Brentwood for our livehood may be able to do something.
Yes nanacake it is sad that a school that is self proclaimed “Elite” would harbour a manager with this type ot attitude and outlook on life! You are right and glad to see someone else see’s the apology was not heartfelt and i would go as far as to say was written under duress. Ms Nelson makes no bones about how she feels and we need to remember this is not how everyone feels just a select few. I would also suggest that Live free is indeed Ms Nelson or someone very close to her. Imagine that, Brentwood feels they have dealt with this matter accordingly, well all they did was suspend her with pay and made her take a course in communication and supervisory skills, another in employment law and human rights and an anti racism seminar. Why was this not a condition of her employment before she was given the reigns managing these departments, i guess they put the cart before the horse so to speak on this one ! Nothing more than a paid vacation !
Well CapeMudgegirl, i think there are alot of people dismayed and thoroughly disgusted in not only Ms Nelson but Brentwood college. I think you are right Ms Nelson has a stereotypical image of indians, i might suggest she is not the only one working at the school that feels this way. I think what a lot of this stems from is jealousy, she mentions her children did not have the same chances to get an education that first nations are offered, or maybe she’s upset she pays a few more cents for gas etc. I wonder if she would trade her childrens childhood for a first nations childhood and all their experiances (residential school) etc for an education? Ms Nelson needs some educating herself, she feels she is so hard done by and these people she calls dirty filthy pigs are so much more fortunate than her. Maybe she should have spent a few years in residential school and all the experiances that went with being held a captive at a goverment run facility that beat your language out of you and segregated you from your family.nAll races of people have some that are not as clean as others, who makes her the spokesperson for the valley? This is how she feels, there are things about her many people dont like and one is her mouth and attitude. What gives her the right to comment on how other people live or how clean they are? She claims to be a christian and goes to church every sunday, what does she do the rest of the week? She plays christian on sunday but the rest of the week she insults people, makes racist comments and feels it is her place to comment on how other people live. What sort of christian is that ? She pretends to be christian when it suits her !nOne has to wonder what she was taught and where she learned all this type of behaviour from? I would not want any child of mine attending an institution who allows staff to conduct themselves in this manner or who harbour these thoughts and ideas! What message are they sending to the children?
I really do not understand Brentwood’s reasons for continuing to employ this openly racist manager, i would say it is a huge liabilty for Brentwood! They have hired an expensive lawyer in the hopes of shutting the vicitm down, it is amazing what money can pay for in todays day and age. It apppears that Brentwood is sorry that this has happened but have gone out and hired a lawyer to save their reputation! paying too have a victim silenced ? Now i have heard it all !n@ nanacake, i guess Brentwood is standing behind this over opionated Biggott, the apology letter yo speak of was written under duress not because she was truly sorry she was forced to write it.nNelson speaks her mind and admitts her mouth gets her in trouble and she must be more careful. I think one would be a fool sending any child to Brentwood little own one of first nations decent ! Remember adult are supposed to be setting an example and it is obvious Brentwood does not have a problem with Nelsons actions or beliefs !
Just want to say that you comments are right on the mark. Sorry if I came off as sounding condescending. I was probably just trying to be careful in what I said and still express my concern. I am not an employee of Brentwood College, just someone who hates injustice and prejudice. I sincerely hope that Corinne Baker will get the support that she deserves for having the courage to speak up about this.
I am shocked and dismayed that an employee of Brentwood College would be so willing to brush this aside as being “poor judgement” when obviously this person has a stereotypical image of “all Indians” by the comments made. All of us are not dirty pigs and granted I have not been in every bighouse, but I have never been a in a bighouse that is a “pigsty”. Yes there may be those us have issues with the condition of their home but so are their other races who have the same issues. I would never presume to say all of this race or that race are “dirty”. The manager apologizes for saying what was said but only because it was said out loud the belief of all of us Indians are dirty and all bighouses are a pigsty. I do not believe I would want any First Nations students attending a school where they have staff who harbour this type of harmful stereotype of us “Indians”. You may say how many “Indians” attend such an “elite” school? Not many but one would be too many in my mind, now that I know they have manager who has such racist beleifs of all of us “Indians”!
How sad that a prestigious school such as Brentwood College would have a manager who uses such poor judgement when dealing with her staff. It seems to me that this lady’s apology was not heartfelt as she or someone close to her continues to be defensive and make confrontational comments. Live Free’s writing style is suspiciously similar to that in the written apology so I wonder if Ms. Nelson is still not “getting it”. Perhaps Brentwood needs to do more to help this manager learn some people skills.
I will not stop commenting, this is a social issue and it is key to hear the view of someone who isn’t part of a bias news station, and if other people wish to comment I am in no way stoping them. I suggest you properly read what other people have to say before you comment back to them. I did not stereotype all Natives based on those houses, I merely stated that those said houses are filth. In the letter does the manager state exactly what she said? No. This was the perfect chance for the “victim” to exaggerate what really happened and fabricate one of her many lies. If you think all the manager got was a 4 week paid “vacation” you are sadly mistaken, there was much more that was required for her to come back, but I’m not the least bit surprised this so called news station didn’t report on that. Do your research before you make yourself out to be a fool.
This is a waste of vauable time.. You are no differant than the the person whom first made these comments which she apologised for. Why does someone apologise unless you are in the wrong? The victim whom you have now named was nothing other than a victim and you are making a desperate attempt to try and defend the author of these horrible racial and extremly discriminatory comments. Shame on her and shame on YOU !! She did not have to lie, these allegations which were proven to be true by investigation as well as hand written apology letter admitting to making these racist comments. She does not need to make herself feel important nor is she a crusader she is and accepts all people as one except for “BIGGOTTS”. The comments you go on to make about first nations houses and yards are stereo typing all first nations people because you see a few houses which may be affected by mould etc. The manger made her politically incorrect and socially unacceptable comments known and she is the one whom has damaged reputations if in fact they are. This is not freedom of speech it is a racial and horrible discriminatory attack on not one but many first nations people whom i might add may not have had the same opportunities it appears you have that this fine land has to offer. Why attack the culture, long houses etc ? “Pig Sty”? This has nothing to do with freedom of speech, I suggest attitudes such as yours are not helping the situation or those involved. These co workers who lied were cornered and confronted. You have your opinions and feelings and no one will change them so lets stop wasting valuable space and let others comment on this issue.. I wake up every morning and can look myself in the mirror can you ?
I will give credit where credit is due, I give Corrine credit for having a vast imagination and having no regard for other people which makes her resort to making up lies in order to make herself either feel important or a crusader for her culture. Now correct me if I am wrong but many houses on native land in Duncan and Mill Bay (take Tzouhalem Rd for example) have boarded up windows and garbage spread out all over their yards. Is this something that your culture takes pride in? I think not. The manager voices her opinions on these houses and that makes her a racist? No. I think anyone driving by this houses would think the exact same way…Whether they be African American, White, or First Nations. Since when has the freedom of speech been illegal? Just because they happen to be Native houses does not mean she is harbouring some ill will against them. It is houses like those that are giving Duncan a bad name. nnYou seem to have quite a grip on the situation providing that you weren’t even there. What makes you say that these coworkers admitted to lying? Why is that not in the report? I think I know the answer. Because like all the previous comments made, this one is yet another fabrication. I suggest you know your hard facts before making your comments.n
I take it you may be one of those workers involved in this horrible incident. By the comment you make about this woman exagerating the severity of this incident not only feel you may have been a party to this and feel that you have no idea about about cultural sensitivity ! Fabricating lies would be defamation of character punishable by law, i am sure that she has contacted legal counsel about this. If any reputation has been tarnished she was not the one that caused it, all she has done is stick up for herself and her culture. I would also say that if any ones reputation was tarnished it was caused by the author of that horrible apology letter and no one else. If you read the letter or exerpts from it it is freely admitted that there were some very nasty remarks made and by who. If these remarks were not made why did the author of these remarks apologise as did the school. I think the reason she may have not been able to speak of the “other” situation is because it would have been very embarrasing for indivduals should it have been proven.. Woops ! I would also say that this woman was not caught lieing several of her co workers were and when confronted they admitted to lieing and there was no punishment for interfering with an investigation. Finally i would like to see the author of these nasty comments sit in a long house full of angry first nations people and make the same comments. If you have feelings this strong why not come forward and make them public ?? LMAOnYet another LAME attempt to turn the victim into the bad one, give credit where credit is due !
There is a reason none of her co-workers are supporting her. She has completely exaggerated and even fabricated lies about what I’m sure really happened. Not only is she tarnishing the reputation of her manager but about the reputation of a great school that welcomes people of all cultures and races. Have any of you thought of the reason why she was not aloud to speak about the previous “situation” that happened at the school? It is because she was caught lying about what really happened and THAT is why the school warned her they would press charges if she said anything to the news.I hope when this goes to court she gets counter-sued for defamation.