Message from Trustee Pamela Gough regarding Jan. 15, 2015 Review of the Toronto District School Board

The following message is from Trustee Gough’s office:

Sent on behalf of Trustee Pamela Gough:

Yesterday, the Minister of Education announced the report of education consultant Margaret Wilson, who had been instructed to investigate problems in governance and administration at the TDSB. I am enclosing the link to this report below.

I would like to make clear that Ms. Wilson, when referring to the problems of the board as they relate to trustees, made it clear that not all trustees interfere with the machinations of the board as she describes. Many TDSB  trustees, myself included, work hard on behalf of their communities and respect the limits of the trustee role under the Education Act.

You may have read that on Monday, January 12, the TDSB board voted to maintain a salary increase of $17,000 for the director of education that was unilaterally given last year by former Chair, Chris Bolton, despite a clear order from the Minister of Education that the director’s salary not be increased, in keeping with the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act. I did not support this motion, and spoke out on the responsibility of the board to comply with the law at all times.

I take the findings of the Wilson report very seriously and intend to work with my colleagues to implement the recommendations within the timelines required.

On Tuesday, January 20, I have called a ward council meeting for 8:45 am at Second Street JMS to discuss this matter, and other items of education interest locally, with the Ward 3 school council chairs or their representatives.

[Review of the Toronto District School Board]

Pamela Gough, MSc., MT (OISE/UT), OCT
Trustee, Ward 3, Toronto District School Board
Email: pamela.gough@tdsb.on.ca
Tel: 416-393-1972
Website: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Trustees/Ward3
Twitter: @pamelagough

[End of text]

Ward fiefdoms

As I’ve noted in a previous post, the Jan. 15, 2015 Review of the Toronto District School Board warrants a close read.

The post is entitled: “Trustees mistrusted within schools”: TDSB governance review – Jan. 15, 2015 CBC article.

The report’s reference to “ward fiefdoms” brings to mind the history of the British empire.