Toronto trustees call for province to probe school board

Toronto District School Board chair Mari Rutka has sent letters
to the Premier and the Education Minister seeking help.

The chair of Canada’s largest school board is calling on Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s government to intervene with the board’s highest ranking staffer, alleging that director of education Donna Quan has blocked trustees from probing controversial payments and partnerships.

Toronto District School Board chair Mari Rutka wrote letters to Ms. Wynne and Education Minister Liz Sandals this month seeking a meeting to discuss the matter, school board sources say. A group of trustees accuse Ms. Quan of refusing to provide them with her employment contract. The trustees also say she stonewalled them on several decisions by board staff revealed in The Globe and Mail, including a mysterious $200,000 payment and education partnerships in Asia.

Trustee Irene Atkinson has also joined the call for government intervention. In a letter to Ms. Wynne and Ms. Sandals last week, she asked for an “arm’s length independent investigation.”  (more...)

Toronto trustees call for province to probe school board