Ottawa school boards watching proposed legislation that gives power to Education Ministry

Trustees at the OCDSB were told they will need to make some difficult choices to avoid a fifth year of budget deficits. CTV’s Natalie van Rooy reports.

The Minister of Education announced broad legislation at Queen’s Park on Thursday that could change the future of how school boards operate in Ontario, making it easier to allow the province to take over boards that it believes are acting irresponsibly.

The province says this is necessary to address financial mismanagement and to ensure school boards are putting resources into educating children, but critics are raising concerns about the possibility of taking away power from local trustees and putting it into the hands of officials at Queen’s Park.

“This is for every board across the province of Ontario. It removes an antiquated and old, outdated system,” said Education Minister Paul Calandra.

“What it should have is the authority to step in when boards aren’t doing what they’re doing, what they’re supposed to be doing, and when they have gone off the rails, either financially, or on other matters that are important to students, parents and teachers.”

The move would allow the province to put school boards under supervision without waiting for third-party investigations and recommendations.

“I think it’s really important for there to be an opportunity for the minister to hear from school boards before the decision is made and to only take over a board where the board is clearly refusing to carry out its responsibilities in accordance with the applicable legislation,” said Lynn Scott, the chair of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCSDB).

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) says it’s not an education reform, but authoritarianism that’s designed to deflect blame, suppress dissenting voices, and tighten political control over a public education system this government has failed to adequately fund.

Meanwhile the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) said in a statement, “It remains committed to responsible governance, transparency, and decisions that serve the best interests of our students, staff and school communities. We recognize the Ministry of Education’s intent is to ensure that school boards across Ontario operate effectively and in alignment with provincial expectations, which is what we have always done as an organization.”

The province made the announcement amid a financial investigation into the OCDSB, raising questions about what could happen when the imminently expected report is released.

“We look forward to seeing what the findings are and to working with the province to make sure that any deficiencies are corrected moving forward,” said Scott.

Parents with children at schools within the board also weighing in.

“It sort of comes as a surprise to hear that while we’re waiting for those results, we’re now being told that going forward we won’t have third party involvement,” said Michelle Bertram, a parent in Ottawa. “That’s my first question, is with the timing. I’m just surprised because we have been told wait for the results of those investigations done by third parties.”