Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra is indicating swift action in utilizing newly granted powers to assume control of school boards, with a specific focus on one board highlighted in a government report as dysfunctional. The recent passing of a bill enables the minister to more efficiently place school boards under supervision and mandates additional police presence in schools.
Despite criticism labeling the bill as undemocratic due to the removal of elected trustees, Calandra defends the law as a mechanism to steer boards back on course when they veer off track, pointing to the Near North District School Board as an example. An investigation identified a strained relationship between administration and trustees, conflicts of interest involving the director of education, and delays in school construction attributable to certain trustees’ actions.
Calandra issued directives to the board, warning that failure to comply would result in government intervention to rectify the situation. The minister emphasized the urgency of addressing issues affecting students, such as learning in substandard conditions due to board decisions.
Regarding the potential elimination of trustee roles, Calandra has appointed supervisors to five other boards due to mismanagement. The bill broadens the scope for initiating investigations or imposing supervision on boards beyond financial concerns to encompass matters of public interest.
Despite pushback from opposition parties, teachers’ unions, and parents, Calandra remains resolute in his approach. While contemplating the removal of trustees, he assures that French and Catholic boards will retain their constitutional rights, preserving trustees’ authority on specific issues within those systems.
Critics, including NDP Leader Marit Stiles, attribute school and board issues to government actions, casting doubt on the government’s ability to address the problems it allegedly caused. The opposition stresses the importance of community input through elected trustees and advocates for a transparent governance transition plan out of government supervision.
The bill also mandates school boards to implement a school resource officer program if offered by local police services. Some boards previously discontinued such programs due to student discomfort and community concerns, with experts cautioning against increased police presence in schools as a flawed approach to enhancing safety and academic achievement.