Education reform, behind the scenes reality
TORONTO – The real purpose of the “proposal for governance” change in boards of Education opposed by OCSTA?
Even the most trusting of readers will ask for an extra serving of salt when someone claims to act in the interests of transparency and accountability. People may, on occasion rely more on the need to clear the deadwood because of allegations of incompetence and/or abuse.
Let us look for some perspective. In the last several days, press and media have been filled with speculative ramblings from “experts” trying to predict the “disastrous, potential impact” of threats by President Trump to impose a rate increase of tariffs on $29 billion on merchandise trade between Canada and the USA. The value of the total annual commercial activity between our two countries is estimated to be in the vicinity of two trillion dollars.
Toronto City Council in the last two years increased taxes by 25% to satisfy its budgetary needs of approximately $18 Billion. Toronto District School Board with a budget of $3.4 billion and a culture of dysfunction and declining enrolment fired its Director of Education, who was formerly associate Deputy Minister of Education, replacing him with the Director of the Niagara Catholic District of Education, with an annual budget of $356 million.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board has an annual Budget of approximately $1.3 billion. Its current, and former, Director of Education, in 2024, reported an in year estimated Budgetary surplus of $100 million. By November of the same year, it had become a $48 billion dollar deficit. According to public statements by the Minister himself, the actual deficit stood at $75 million, in June of 2025 when he sent in a supervisor to “clean up the mess” from this $175 million turnaround.
The Director kept his job, got a raise and an upgrade in title to boot. Cynics can be forgiven for asking why.
For years, school boards have been following with bated breath the developments of commercial implications (revenue streams) associated with technology applications – “addictive” software – in the classroom and the “associated mental health consequences” on children and adults. As “experts in pedagogy and socio-cultural outcomes”, their senior leadership teams knew whereof what was being debated.
As American Courts began to side with Applicants against Big Tech (examples like Google and Facebook/Meta), Ontario Directors of Education, led by the two Toronto School Boards, launched a class action lawsuit claiming $4.5 billion in damages to their students. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a representative of the group admitted that they would not have been able to do so without Ministry approval. The current amount claimed now exceeds $8 billion, reflecting increased number of Boards.
I have read the submissions. When the Ontario Judicial system allowed the Motion to proceed, the only question – in the event of a negative decision for Big Tech – would be “who gets the proceeds” net of legal fees. The provincial government would be a clear claimant.
Provided of course a resolution by Trustees to repay the appropriate Grants for Student Needs already given by the Provincial government. Supervision eliminates potentially recalcitrant trustees, and the “confirmation” proposal becomes a default position for the CEO/Director to authorize the transfer to the Ministry.
OCSTA risks putting itself in the line of fire.