​Bluewater school board seeks review on province's plan to eliminate trustees

Bluewater District School Board trustees are speaking out on a possible plan by the provincial government to remove English public school trustees in Ontario.

At the regular board meeting, Feb. 17, trustees approved a pair of motions brought forward by vice-chairperson Jan Johnstone, to send letters to the Ombudsman of Ontario and the Ontario minister of education.

The letter to Ombudsman Paul Dubé supports a recent request by the Waterloo Region District School Board for a review of the potential impacts that changing the current governance model would have on fairness, openness, transparency, and accountability. A key concern is the education minister’s previous comments about removing democratically-elected English public school trustees, while French and Catholic trustees would remain in place.

Questions of equity arise on the potential loss of Indigenous representation and the elimination of student trustees, who are the only legislated voice for Ontario students in English public schools. Trustees are also asking that the review address the lack of formal public consultation, citing recent polls reflecting skepticism that the proposed changes would improve public education.

The Ombudsman is an arm’s-length independent officer of the legislature committed to investigating matters of the public interest, working to help keep government and public services accountable, protect the rights of Ontarians, and ensure fairness.

In their letter to education minister Paul Calandra, trustees are requesting that a formal province-wide consultation take place before a decision is made. The process should promote open dialogue and two-way conversations by seeking input from students, parents, staff, and community members, and include a thorough research-based discussion of the pros and cons of the government’s proposed plan.

There is heightened concern that the loss of trustees at the local level would leave constituents and the school boards serving them, without any recourse or ability to share meaningful input on future directives issued by the province.

“The potential move by the provincial government to eliminate English public school trustees should deeply concern parents and community members,” says Johnstone. “As the oldest form of democratically-elected representation in Ontario, trustees serve as a vital link between families and the school board, ensuring that local voices are reflected in decisions that directly affect students.”

“Without the community connections that are enabled by locally-elected trustees, we risk losing meaningful advocacy and local decision-making ability,” says board chairperson Jane Thomson. “This is especially concerning for our most vulnerable learners, including students with special education needs, whose families often rely on trustees to champion the supports and services they deserve. Parents need to be acutely aware of the long-term and irreversible impact that the loss of our current local governance structure would have on transparency, accountability, and the strength of their voice in their child’s education.”