TDSB trustee charged with forcible confinement

CTV Toronto: 'New low for the board' Howard Goodman is facing several serious charges. Trustees tell CTV Toronto the victim is TDSB director of education Donna Quan.

Outgoing Toronto District School Board trustee Howard Goodman is facing criminal harassment and forcible confinement charges after being arrested Wednesday morning.

Goodman -- who has been the trustee for Ward 8 (Eglinton-Lawrence) for 11 years -- has since been released. None of the allegations against him have been proven in court.

Police have not revealed the name of the victim, but several other trustees have told CTV Toronto it is TDSB director of education Donna Quan.

Earlier this year, Goodman sent an email to Quan apologizing for his behaviour at a February planning meeting after several witnesses accused him of bullying her. The clash between the two was apparently sparked over a motion put forward by then-trustee Sam Sotiropoulos.

After the meeting, Sotiropoulos sent a letter of complaint about the alleged intimidation to the TDSB board chair.

Goodman's allegedly threatening behaviour was not an isolated incident, according to some trustees, who say he had been aggressive with Quan for months. Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher said she witnessed an incident where Goodman allegedly confined Quan.

After the planning meeting in February, Quan also penned her own letter to the chair addressing the culture of fear at the board, and the need to discuss the "threatening and intimidating behaviour by a trustee." That letter was signed by four associate directors on the board. Quan also announced that off-duty police officers would be attending future meeting to curb bullying between colleagues.

Police say Goodman's charges stem from allegations someone was harassed from the fall of 2013 to the present. Police would not provide more details, but said all allegations came from one alleged victim.

CTV Toronto has attempted to reach Goodman and his lawyer for comment, but they have not responded.

Goodman is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 18.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Naomi Parness