A dialog about updates to the Simcoe County District Faculty Board’s (SCDSB) digital participation coverage turned explosive this week, with a Barrie trustee alleging collusion between board workers and a few trustees.
Through the SCDSB’s common board assembly on Dec. 18, trustees permitted an replace to the board’s digital participation coverage, which is necessitated by adjustments to the Training Act that got here into impact July 29. A key change to the coverage is that digital participation is permitted at board and committee conferences however is topic to an approval course of and for particularly outlined causes by way of the board’s chair or a designate every time.
Following a query by Innisfil trustee Donna Armstrong concerning whether or not these collaborating electronically in conferences ought to have their cameras on and whether or not that ought to be outlined extra explicitly within the coverage, former chair and Orillia/Severn/Ramara trustee Jodi Lloyd mentioned she agreed.
“The reason why the ministry made these regulations … was to address what they thought was a lack of attention, a lack of accountability, a lack of professionalism by boards and trustees,” mentioned Lloyd. “This is a corporate board meeting and I think people need to remember that. I think the expectation is that we treat it with respect. I don’t believe these are unreasonable expectations. Based upon this (provincial) regulation, joining electronically is supposed to be rare and not the norm.”
The 2 trustees collaborating remotely, who additionally each had their cameras off — New Tecumseth trustee Sarah Beitz and Barrie trustee Lisa-Marie Wilson — each raised their arms.
Beitz turned on her digicam, and mentioned she was recovering from surgical procedure, which is why she was not in attendance in individual.
Wilson, nevertheless, seemingly had sufficient.
“I’m glad we’re in public. Transparency, accountability … Let’s talk about collusion. There are all kinds of things going on. This is a board. There should be respect and accountability. That’s not how things have happened,” mentioned Wilson.
“We will’t assume that our public are naive and aren’t watching these conferences, listening to and listening to see what is definitely occurring right here, who’s being focused and why. I’m astonished that this is occurring. I can’t be silent anymore.
“There is a lot that’s going on within this board, and I am disgusted,” she mentioned.
Wilson’s remarks come on the heels of her personal digital participation in board conferences being referred to as into query at an Oct. 23 assembly, when it got here to mild that she resides in Nova Scotia as a part of a one-year non permanent work placement.
She at present participates in most board conferences electronically.
“I think there’s been a lot of collusion and a lot of things that go on behind doors, but the public are not stupid. Please, get off your pedestal,” Wilson mentioned in response to Lloyd’s feedback.
As quickly as Wilson completed talking, Lloyd referred to as some extent of order.
“Mr. Chair, you had a duty as the chair of this board to control that, and put a stop to that, and you did not. I take great exception to that. That was uncalled for and unacceptable,” mentioned Lloyd.
Following the assembly, director of training John Dance and present board chair and Barrie trustee Dana Powell had been requested if that they had any perception into Wilson’s remarks.
“I know what collusion is, but I have no idea what she’s talking about,” mentioned Dance.
Powell declined to supply a touch upon the scenario.
“I noted the point of order,” he mentioned.
Following the assembly in an interview, Lloyd referred to as Wilson’s remarks “unsubstantiated.”
“The chair allowed it to continue without stopping it. You can’t … undermine the integrity of the board. She’s the member of a corporate board,” mentioned Lloyd. “I’m disappointed the chair didn’t address it in the meeting.”
In an interview following the assembly, Wilson elaborated on her remarks.
“I never mentioned anybody’s name. I spoke in the broader sense,” she mentioned.
When requested about what she was referring to within the assembly, Wilson mentioned she was involved about confidentiality as outlined within the trustee code of conduct.
An up to date model of the code of conduct was handed on the Dec. 18 assembly, with revisions made as a consequence of adjustments within the Training Act that went into impact this previous July. In Part 6 of that code, trustees are barred from partaking in conduct that might discredit or compromise the integrity of the board, whereas Part 7 outlines that trustees should respect confidentiality of closed periods of the board.
“I feel there’s a narrative that the board wants to portray among the trustees and senior team, and there are people who will support that. That is where I believe the collusion happens,” mentioned Wilson. “You have to be careful about being a whistleblower.”
Wilson pointed to the current hiring of former affiliate director of training Daybreak Stephens as the brand new director of training for the board, to begin Jan. 1, with former superintendent of scholar achievement Dean Maltby being promoted to the affiliate director place introduced on the Dec. 18 assembly.
Whereas Maltby was employed by the brand new director and trustees had no enter, trustees had been concerned within the hiring course of for the brand new director by approving the candidate profile and dealing by way of the hiring course of in closed session.
Wilson referenced the board’s fairness audit, accomplished in August 2022 by Turner Consulting Group. The 133-page report made suggestions on how the board can amend its current insurance policies/add new insurance policies to make them extra inclusive, and consists of anonymized workers feedback on private experiences working for the board. About 1,225 folks participated within the consultations, which represents about 20 per cent of the board’s staff.
When staff had been requested in the event that they imagine favouritism has a major impression on who’s employed and who advances on the SCDSB, nearly all of respondents agreed with the assertion.
“There was a sense I heard from different staff and unions that they felt they knew exactly who our director and associate director would be, and that’s exactly who we have,” mentioned Wilson. “I was part of that process and I firmly thought I wanted to do what was best. I feel like I’ve failed the public.”
Wilson additionally pointed to an integrity commissioner criticism she filed towards Beitz from occasions that occurred in September 2023, when Beitz offered a deputation to New Tecumseth council concerning a location for a brand new construct for Banting Memorial Excessive Faculty.
“I’ve been part of buying into a narrative that’s being created. I’ve recognized it, and apologized for it to the person affected,” mentioned Wilson.
“The catalyst for this is we’ve had a change of leadership at the board,” Wilson mentioned, referring to Powell being elected as board chair following a number of years of Lloyd as chair.
“Yesterday, when I spoke up, I’d had enough,” mentioned Wilson referring to the Dec. 18 assembly. “I’m the next target.”
Total, Wilson mentioned she isn’t excellent, however she’s keen to take a look at previous errors to study and develop from them.
“What matters the most to me is integrity. It’s not just what you do when people are looking; it’s what you do when nobody’s looking, or you think nobody’s looking, behind closed doors,” she mentioned. “Actions speak louder than words.”
She’s hoping by being “a disruptor,” extra accountability and transparency will occur on the board.
“So many people have not much faith in our politicians and institutions. This is why. I’m not going to be able to change all of this, but I also will not remain silent and just allow things to happen. I feel I have a duty to my community,” mentioned Wilson.
In response to the allegations, SCDSB communications supervisor Sarah Kekewich mentioned the board couldn’t present additional remark as they relate to confidential issues of the board.
Nevertheless, she famous the board held a radical course of led by Promeus Inc. and voted upon by the board of trustees to conduct the director search, in the end hiring Stephens for the function. She mentioned the director went by way of a two-part interview course of supported by the board’s human assets division within the choice to rent Maltby as the brand new affiliate director.
“It is the policy of the Simcoe County District School Board that all hiring and employment-related decisions are based on transparency, equitable opportunity, and an overall emphasis on merit,” Kekewich wrote in an electronic mail. “In both the hiring of the director and associate director, we are confident that these policies were followed.”
