The ongoing conflict between the Ford government and school board trustees has taken a new turn, as Education Minister Paul Calandra faces scrutiny over his spending habits. While Calandra has been critical of school boards for allegedly wasting public funds, trustees have highlighted seemingly extravagant expenses incurred by the minister himself.
Trustees have reported that Calandra has used questionable judgment regarding the use of public funds. Notable examples include $2,223 spent on pancake breakfasts, $11,863 for expenses related to a Santa Claus parade, and a particularly controversial $23,000 community barbecue that he hosts annually.
Maria Rizzo, a trustee with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), characterized Calandra's actions as hypocritical. Rizzo argued that the minister should not be spending taxpayer money on such events while simultaneously scrutinizing school trustees for their expenses. She emphasized that the real issue at hand is the chronic underfunding of education, suggesting that the focus on petty spending detracts from the larger conversation around resource allocation in schools.
In addition to the barbeque expenses, Calandra's office has also come under fire for $5,753 spent on hotel stays in Toronto, despite his residence being in Markham, which is only a 30-minute drive away from the city. Calandra's office defended these expenditures, stating that he occasionally stays in Toronto hotels during late-night sessions of the Legislature and that his residence is just outside the threshold for the MPP housing benefit.
The minister's press secretary explained that community events like the Strawberry Festival Pancake Breakfast and the annual Community BBQ are longstanding traditions in Stouffville, and thus should not be compared to the personal expenses claimed by some trustees, which include questionable items like Apple TV subscriptions and late-night food orders.
Calandra has taken significant steps against school boards, having removed trustee powers from five Ontario school boards and appointed government supervisors in their place. The minister has also threatened to eliminate the role of trustees entirely by the end of the year. In response to these actions, trustees at the TCDSB are considering legal options to challenge Calandra's moves, criticizing him for undermining democratically elected officials.
Rizzo expressed deep concern about the implications of Calandra's actions, stating that it is troubling for elected representatives to be stripped of their powers. She described her disbelief that elected officials could be dismissed in such a manner.
Compounding these issues, one of the supervisors appointed to oversee the Toronto District School Board, Rohit Gupta, is facing backlash for increasing class sizes in several programs that cater to students with disabilities. Trustees had previously voted against such measures, and opposition MPPs have asserted that these decisions only serve to exacerbate waitlist problems and compromise the safety and efficacy of classrooms for children with disabilities.
MPP Chandra Pasma (Ottawa—Nepean West) and MPP Alexa Gilmour (Parkdale—High Park) criticized Gupta's decision, arguing that cutting corners in education will create an unsafe environment for students requiring special assistance. They stressed the urgent need for increased funding to hire more teachers and education workers rather than implementing cost-cutting measures that could lead to chaos in classrooms. CityNews has reached out to Gupta for comment but has yet to receive a response.
