Education Minister Paul Calandra is taking steps to ensure that newly elected trustees adhere to a code of conduct following their recent elections. Concerns arose when it was discovered that some trustees were planning to hold unofficial meetings to engage with families despite lacking governing authority. The Ontario government, led by Premier Doug Ford, has placed eight school boards, including the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic School Board, under supervision, effectively stripping the trustees of their governing powers until further notice.
Initially, Minister Calandra had indicated that the trustees would not be sworn in due to their lack of official status, which meant that both re-elected and newly elected trustees would not assume their roles legally. This decision stemmed from the government's intention to maintain control over the school boards during this supervisory period.
Despite this, some trustees expressed intentions to host community gatherings in public spaces, such as libraries and community centers, to foster conversations with families. There were also plans to live stream these meetings for parents to participate remotely. However, Calandra cautioned that any attempts to sidestep the established code of conduct would result in scrutiny from the integrity commissioner, who would investigate any trustees found violating the rules.
Calandra commented on the actions of the trustees, stating, “What they immediately decided to do was work outside the code of conduct, set aside that they are still responsible and could at one point be responsible for governing a board, and find loop holes around doing the right thing.” He affirmed that the trustees would ultimately be sworn in but that the appointed supervisors would continue managing the boards until governance is returned to the trustees.
TDSB trustee Alexis Dawson responded to the situation, emphasizing that although they cannot hold official meetings, trustees still have the ability to engage the community in various ways. She stated, “We certainly can have public meetings with our constituents. We can participate in rallies, we can participate in community events. We are still elected by our communities and we’re still able to represent them through various channels.”
In light of these developments, Calandra has instructed the board supervisors and CEOs to complete the swearing-in process for the new trustees by November 15. This timeline suggests a delay in scheduling the first official board meetings, a situation that may extend the period in which the supervisors maintain control over the school boards.
