Ontario Education Minister Considers Abolishing School Trustees

The future of school board trustees in Ontario is uncertain as Education Minister Paul Calandra suggested the potential elimination of these positions. This statement follows a summer in which Premier Doug Ford took control of five school boards, appointing supervisors to oversee their operations. During an interview with CBC Radio, Calandra stated, “I think everybody deserves some certainty. I’m 100 per cent looking at the elimination of the trustee position.” This declaration has ignited significant concern among local education leaders.

In response to Calandra’s comments, Renee Kraft, chair of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, proposed a motion for the board to communicate its concerns directly to the minister. The letter would emphasize the critical role trustees play in representing community voices, ensuring accountability, and supporting student achievement through locally informed policies. However, the motion was retracted during the latest board meeting to allow for a more comprehensive discussion among trustees. “It’s important that all trustees have an opportunity to weigh in before determining the final direction of the letter,” Kraft explained.

The sentiment among trustees is one of alarm, particularly at the Waterloo Region District School Board. Chair Maedith Radlein expressed her concerns, stating, “All trustees, as elected representatives, should be concerned about the elimination of their position.” Trustee Scott Piatkowski took to the pages of The Walrus to voice his apprehensions, arguing that removing trustees would transform the school system into “a machine with no one left to answer to the people it serves.”

School board trustees have been a staple of Ontario’s education system since the 1800s, undergoing various changes over the decades. Significant reforms occurred in 1968 when the number of school boards was reduced from over 3,700 to 230. Further cuts during Premier Mike Harris’s tenure in the 1990s saw that number drop to 72, eliminating approximately 1,200 trustee positions and transitioning many remaining roles to part-time status. As a result, trustees lost much of their authority, including the ability to raise local property taxes, which was replaced by a centralized funding system.

Despite the challenges faced by school boards, experts argue that they remain a vital component of the educational framework. Kristina Llewellyn, a history professor at McMaster University specializing in education, remarked, “Like democracy itself, school boards can be messy governing bodies, but they are still a critical part of our education system.” She noted that while school boards are not perfect, their elimination could further diminish parents’ ability to influence their children’s education. “Eliminating school trustees will erode parents’ ability to be heard,” Llewellyn added.

Other provinces have experienced similar overhauls, serving as cautionary tales for Ontario. New Brunswick eliminated elected school boards in 1997, but public pressure led to their reinstatement just four years later. Nova Scotia and Quebec followed suit in 2018 and 2020, respectively, facing difficulties in the transition and raising questions about the effectiveness of alternative governance models.

Calandra has indicated a desire for funding to reach classrooms more directly, but experts caution against oversimplifying the financial challenges faced by school boards. Kelly Gallagher-Mackay, an associate professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, noted, “The idea that malpractice on the part of trustees is the biggest driver for financial problems across the system is almost farcical.” She pointed out that inflation-adjusted education funding has decreased by $776 per student since 2018, a significant decline that has compounded existing pressures on school boards.

The ongoing debate raises critical questions about governance and representation in Ontario’s education system. Bob Williams, a political science professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, emphasized the importance of local decision-making in addressing educational needs. “School board trustees serve a similar level of local importance,” he stated, highlighting the necessity for parents to have a say in their children’s education.

As Calandra prepares to present a plan for the future of school board governance by the end of the academic year, the discourse surrounding trustees remains contentious. Critics argue that without a clear understanding of the problems needing resolution, the proposed elimination of trustees may not effectively address the underlying issues. Williams questioned the rationale behind such a significant policy shift, asking, “What problem are you trying to solve?”

The future of school board trustees in Ontario hangs in the balance as discussions continue, and the outcome could reshape the landscape of educational governance in the province. The implications of these changes will be felt not only by school boards but also by parents, students, and the broader community as they navigate the complexities of educational governance.