The spark lit my fire!

My response to this article: http://www.parrysound.com/news-story/4238094-school-board-settling-lawsuits/

I would like it known how disgusted I am with the article in todays paper regarding the NNDSB law suits.

This suit has been ongoing for years. The amount of money spent on defending convicted sex offenders and past selfish school board officials far outweighs the payouts for victims. It is very disturbing that our community is being offered information that may lead them to be disgruntled with survivors who are just trying to find their way through the fog of victimization.

As a young child we were victimized and made to feel guilty and dirty. Once we came out we were chastized by some people in our small community and made to feel guilty and dirty. We were forced to go on the witness stand twice in front of full court rooms and made to feel guilty and dirty. Over the years of healing we have endured we have triggers that make us feel guilty and dirty. Participating in this law suit has made us feel guilty and dirty as we have to relive every minute detail to prove ourselves. Now the very board that could have protected us so many years ago is trying to make us feel guilty and dirty. It is victimization after vicitmization for all of us. When will we become the important people in all of this?

The offenders were more important than us in the 80`s, they were more important than us at trial and in sentencing, the offenders, lawyers and school board are more important than us in the law suit process, the money trail always puts the spotlight on the wrong people. I dont want a spotlight I want justice that I have never had. I want healing that I will never get. I want to live life free of this cloud and I will never be able to. I want my emotional black hole to fill up with good things but it never will. I want my dreams to stop but I can`t erase my memory. I want to work full time in a job I love but I am not able to. I want to not feel like curling up on the couch and dying after reading stories like this but I am not able to. I want to stop reverting back into that little girl I was. This suit is so much less about money than it is about healing and justice.

I would like for our community to know that I refuse to feel one ounce of guilt for something that I have been forced to endure in my life. No amount of money is going to take it away but we are entitled to compensation and healing. Many of us are disabled due to mental issues, some financial help from the people who are responsible for our anguish is not too much to ask in my opinion. In fact, I believe that the payouts should come from the seizure of the pensions of the offenders and the specific school board officials. We are not taking money from our childrens education and the board and its lawyersshould be ashamed of this poor attempt at a guilt trip. Yet again our board puts their bottom line above victims. It seems children have always been their last consideration surrounding financial decisions and their reputation.

Barb Swartz-Biscaro (probably cant print my name)
NNDSB law suit initiator

And damn I hope they print it!