“Doing away with” trustees seems to be a topic once again in Ontario. I think it was prompted in part by a recent Globe and Mail article. It appears to me that the responses and debates quickly become polarized, but it is a discussion that keeps returning. The election for trustees is every four years — next year, 2018, brings that around again.
I often wonder what the main concerns are about not having boards of trustees in place. Is it the worry that public education will not remain public? Do some fear it would mean one step closer to “school choice”? Is there a concern that parents or parent groups would then have new roles and responsibilities in governance and accountability? Other?
It might be said that only “a few” school boards are dysfunctional in Ontario — but how do we know for sure? Are they all transparent? Should they be? It can seem very complicated the more one digs into the questions.
I knew I had written one post about Ontario boards of trustees in the past, but upon further looking, I see I wrote two on the topic. Although not specific to Ontario, my stats tell me that this one still gets a lot of search hits/views:
Appointed vs. Elected School Boards
The other post is more specific about the working relationship between Ontario trustees and parents:
The trustee – parent connection in #onted
If anyone has thought or written on the topic more recently, please let me know or add. Thank you.
**Update (April 28): Paul McGuire had posted on this topic and in response to the G&M article early this week. Good questions and points to consider from Paul:
Should we still have School Boards? A Public Challenge
Doug Peterson featured Paul’s post in today’s, “This Week in Ontario Edublogs“. Doug added his response there as well.
I wonder (if either ever happens…), what would happen first: No Catholic school boards, or no school boards at all?
paulmcguire2013
Apr 28, 2017 @ 11:57:54
Thanks Sheila. I think there is lots to write about on topic. One question – we have an excellent medical system here in Ontario and no equivalent of local elected boards? Local control causes lots of problems beyond trustees, I have grave concerns about superintendents and accountability as well – many do a poor job and maybe they should be appointed by another body other than the school board. Governance is a topic long overdue for discussion in Ontario.
SStewart
Apr 28, 2017 @ 22:08:54
Thanks for sharing your concerns and being candid about them. There can be a lot of “tiptoeing” in this discussion, for lack of a better word. The last provincial review of school board governance was in 2009. Could be time again.
School Boards in Ontario – Rethinking Governance in Education – Whole-Hearted
Apr 29, 2017 @ 11:51:36
Fixing or Fighting Public Education? | SheilaSpeaking
Sep 11, 2018 @ 11:20:41