York school board asks province for more powers to deal with rogue trustees

Thestar.com
December 13, 2018
Kristin Rushowy

York Region’s public school board is asking the provincial government to toughen trustee code of conduct investigations and wants the power to suspend the pay of those found guilty of breaches.

At a meeting Tuesday night trustees were given recommendations following an outcry from the community over new trustee Elizabeth Terrell-Tracey --who was elected by a wide margin despite racist postings that appeared on her Facebook account during the election.

York Region school trustee Elizabeth Terrell-Tracey seen here after she was sworn in on Dec. 3, 2018, in Aurora. Terrell-Tracey has been the focus of controversy after racist comments appeared on her Facebook page. Terrell-Tracey has said her Facebook page was hacked.

Trustees also voted to urge Terrell-Tracey to meet with chair Corrie McBain and the board’s integrity commissioner “to review input received by members of the public and to discuss the impact on students, community members, the organization, the board of trustees and individual trustees.

“At this meeting, the chair will request that trustee Terrell-Tracey develop a plan to rebuild trust with affected stakeholders that supports the board’s strategic priorities,” the board decided.

Last week, in an unprecedented move, the York school board held a special meeting for parents and community members to vent their anger over the situation with Terrell-Tracey after the trustees were sworn in.

Terrell-Tracey has said her Facebook account was hacked, but also apologized for the comments.

The board is now trying to deal with the controversy. Both McBain and director of education Louise Sirisko have condemned the comments.

Trustees --including Terrell-Tracey --voted in favour of asking Education Minister Lisa Thompson, as well as local MPPs Paul Calandra and Caroline Mulroney, to push for changes to the Education Act.

They’d like their integrity commissioner to have “greater investigative powers, similar to those under the Municipal Act,” and also “allow school boards the additional right to suspend trustee honorarium as a sanction in the case of a breach to the Trustee Code of Conduct.”

York Region trustees make almost $24,000 a year.

In a statement sent Wednesday, Ontario Attorney General Caroline Mulroney and the local MPP (York-Simcoe) said the government will examine ways to allow communities to deal with similar issues.

"Everyone in our communities has a right to feel welcome, and the comments and behaviour that have been reported are reprehensible and in no way acceptable. I share the concerns of my caucus colleagues and constituents, and we will look at ways to ensure communities can appropriately address such unfortunate situations."

McBain told the Star she expects Terrell-Tracey will take part in the “informal recommendation” that they sit down with the integrity commissioner “and have a discussion to review the input ... and come up with a plan to rebuild trust.”

McBain has noted the integrity commissioner cannot investigate the Facebook postings, only incidents that have occurred since trustees were formally sworn in.

McBain said she continues to receive calls of concern about Terrell-Tracey from parents.

A spokesperson for Thompson said the education minister’s office “is in contact with the York Region District School Board and we are monitoring the situation as it evolves.”

“We believe the actions of the trustee in question are unacceptable and do not reflect the values or priorities of this government,” the spokesperson also said.