Concerns with the current RDTC Board - Harassment
We are concerned by what is, in our opinion, the current Board’s lack of adequate response to threatening and racist notes being left on the premises to intimidate and harm Rene Simon, head coach of Simon Tennis School (STS).
We believe that the current Board has demonstrated gross inaction in the face of the seriousness of these threats. We also believe that certain Board Directors have contributed to the harassment of both STS coaches, as well as bullied several people who have tried to advocate for substantive action to support these coaches. We feel this goes against the RDTC mission, in addition to being contrary to our beliefs and values (as described in About the Friends).
Harassment
To harass or bully is to engage in behaviour that a reasonable person knows is meant to intimidate, offend, degrade, or humiliate.
Harassment can come in many forms. In addition to bullying or intimidating behaviour, it can also take the form of inaction.
Lack of response to anonymous, threatening notes to Rene Simon
A threatening note was left anonymously for Rene Simon the same weekend as the AGM, September 14-15, 2024. This was the fourth anonymous, threatening note that this STS coach has received over the past 2.5 years and resulted in him having to take a leave from RDTC.
In the few days following the deliverance of this fourth threatening and racist note, Director Lawson, a newly re-elected Board Director, sent out an email to the club condemning this action; he also circulated an e-card of support for the Simons initiated by a club player (Victoria Seavilleklein). Acting on prior advice of the RCMP, Director Lawson installed some additional security cameras in and around the bubble and clubhouse for additional protection of the coaches.
Two of us (Kristin Fast and Victoria Seavilleklein) wrote letters to the Board at that time advising them of the importance of a substantive and timely response to this threatening note, providing numerous suggestions of actions they could take that would be free, effective, and necessary, and offered our support to carry out these actions.
In response, many Board Directors:
- Objected vehemently to Director Lawson’s actions in the days following the note;
- Objected to our presence at meetings (all observers were ultimately banned following a vote at the December 16, 2024 Board meeting);
- Referred to our letters of concern in subsequent meetings as “threats” to the Board;
- Suspended Director Lawson from the Board on November 13, 2024 without due process and through inflammatory accusations;
- Took down all the new security cameras that Director Lawson had installed; and
- Sought legal counsel for how to respond to our (Kristin’s and Victoria’s) “threatening letters“.
In approximately December 2024, the Board secured a lawyer to respond to our letters. In January, 2025, most or all of the cameras that Director Lawson had installed were put back up and some posters were hung about non-discrimination at the club. A statement about not tolerating harassment was also included in a Board newsletter on January 7, 2025. Director Lawson’s suspension had still not been addressed or reversed, as of the publishing of this webpage on April 12, 2025; as of September 3, 2025, he has still not been allowed by the Board to return to his elected position. We have still not received any formal response to our letters of concern and requests for action. We have still not seen any action from the Board, other than the brief newsletter statement and posters just mentioned.
Why has there not been a more substantive response to such a serious threat? Why has the Board responded so reluctantly to our requests and suggestions for how to create a safer environment at the club?
In our opinion, this is a failure of leadership on a foundational matter. Community spaces ought to feel welcoming for everyone involved. That such concerning behaviour wasn’t addressed has affected - and continues to affect! - not only STS coaches but also their students (of all ages, but particularly juniors who are watching and wondering about how this world really works). It has also affected the friends and families of those students, which translates to a significant portion of the Red Deer tennis community.
Bullying
Since the election of the new Board at the AGM on September 14, 2024, there have been numerous incidents where Board Directors have been aggressive and demeaning toward other Board Directors. This is not how a governing body of any kind ought to function, especially a volunteer Board for a Not-for-Profit organization. We have observed that Directors who raise concerns, questions, or actively object are (at best) ignored and dismissed and (at worst) intimidated or bullied; those who agree with the voting majority are safe and treated well.
Club members have also experienced verbal aggression and intimidation from Board Directors. More than one incident of this kind has been brought to our attention.
Both STS coaches have been subjected to multiple situations that we would characterize as aggressive, demeaning and threatening, initiated by at least three different Board Directors. Most recently, in July, 2025, one STS coach was the subject of aggressive, public harassment by the family members of a Board Director. Club members have also experienced verbal aggression and intimidation from Board Directors. More than one incident of this kind has been brought to our attention. Adult students have been involved as well in at least one incident.
The frequency and, in our opinion, escalation of occurrences over the past several months indicates an alarming pattern of threatening behaviour that has reduced the feeling of safety at the club for many players and individuals visiting the club. This behaviour is not in keeping with the kind of club we envision.