Uxbridge trustees ‘deeply concerned’ about Bill 33

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Uxbridge's two school trustees are less than thrilled with the passage last week of Bill 33, which gives the province the power to take over control of school boards.

The bill allows Education Minister Paul Calandra to put school boards under supervision and requires more boards to put police officers in schools. Calandra said the law will allow him to put boards back on track when they "fall off the rails."

Richard Damianopoulos, Uxbridge trustee on the Durham District Catholic School Board, said he is "deeply concerned" with the passage of the bill.

"It's a blow to local democracy and an increase in centralization," he said, adding that local trustees better represent their constituents. He admitted there have been "bad trustees," but the bill is "an incursion into democracy."

Damianopoulos said the DDCSB is in a good fiscal position with a balanced budget and he doesn't see any reason why the province would take over his board.

Carolyn Morton, trustee on the Durham District School Board, said that apart from being aware of the passage of Bill 33 "beyond that we know nothing." She also said her board is in a good position.

"We have a lot to be proud of," she said. "I enjoy interacting with our students and parents."

Morton said she sees no immediate danger to DDSB, but she noted five school boards have been taken over by the province and since the trustees of those boards can't fulfill their roles, they are not being paid.