Lester B. Pearson School Board chair broke code of ethics, but board cannot do anything

CTV Montreal: Suanne Stein Day’s ethical scandal The Lester B Pearson School Board found its chair committed multiple breaches of its code of ethics

For nearly a year the Lester B. Pearson school board has been embroiled in an ethics scandal involving its chair, Suanne Stein Day.

The chair of the board was accused of verbally attacking multiple people who worked for the school board, including staff members, principals and vice-principals, and other commissioners.

The first letter of complaint was filed on Dec. 15, 2015.

In it, 16 staff members of the International Program accused Stein Day of making "slanderous and libelous remarks (that) range from criminal allegations in terms of misappropriation of funds and embezzlement to salacious claims of respected members participating in sexual affairs."

The letter also states that Stein Day was "assassinating the characters of some of the most senior level members of the school board and pillars of the LBPSB community."

The staff members also wrote that Stein Day was spreading "gossip" and "lies" to "outsiders across the province with no offer of proof to back up her claims."

Several weeks later, prinicipals and vice-principals filed a letter of complaint echoing the comments of the international staff members.

That letter complained that Stein Day was committing an "abuse of power" and frequently spoke with "a lack of professionalism, dignity and discretion."

Since then a number of people who filed complaints against Stein Day have been fired, demoted, or reassigned.

At least one person has filed a wrongful dismissal suit with the Quebec Labour Board.

The LBPSB's ethics commissioner investigated the complaints and made a ruling in August, 2016.

During a council meeting in September, the ethics commissioner's judgment that Stein Day had contravened three articles of the school board's Code of Ethics on three separate occasions was read into the official record.

"The commissioner against who the complaints were directed has derogated from and committed infractions," ruled the ethics commissioner.

He ruled the complaints "were well founded in fact and in law."

Since then school board commissioners have refused to discuss the ethics complaints, saying only that they have been ordered not to talk about it.

Stein Day has also refused to discuss the case, saying as far as she is concerned, the case is over with.

According to the school board's rules, it is finished: the board has no power to sanction its chair or any commissioners for a breach of ethics.

The only person who can take further action is the province's education minister, Sebastien Proulx.

His office told CTV News the minister is aware of the file and is following it closely.