Toronto District School Board Trustees

Ontario’s education minister stopped lacking putting Toronto’s troubled public school board under direct charge of a government supervisor Thursday but stated she’s prepared to do this if it doesn't meet a listing of needs — including cutting the director’s salary.

“It’s really likely to be important to see what goes on within the the following month, ” stated Liz Sandals in a Queen’s Park news conference. “We’ve given them direction and that i certainly expect and hope that everybody at TDSB [will] have the ability to act upon and take that seriously … since this is a horrifyingly serious problem.”

Ms. Sandals comments came hrs following the discharge of a vital set of fractious staff and trustee relations in the TDSB from education veteran Margaret Wilson, purchased through the province in November. Ms. Wilson referred to a scenario where some trustees became unhealthily enmeshed within the board’s daily procedures where principals and superintendents felt spied on. She stated a “culture of fear, ” noted in the past board research, had only grown worse, reaching in to the board’s schools.

“It’s not new, it’s been festering for any very long time, ” stated Ms. Wilson, who carried out 68 interviews with board staff, trustees and former auditors. “I was deeply disturbed. I’ve worked with this particular degree of professionals throughout my career. I’ve never questioned people before where they burst into tears [because] these were under such stress. … The amount of fear in very senior employees are dreadful.”

“Too many employees, and numerous trustees, don't have any confidence in ale the brand new board to influence this ship from the rocks, ” Ms. Wilson came to the conclusion in her own report. “I agree that given the way the board works, the positioning of director is almost untenable.”

‘I’ve never questioned people before where they burst into tears [because] these were under such stress’