Sal Piccininni seeks re-election in TCDSB
TORONTO – Welcome to our offices Sal.
You were one of the first elected officials to agree to come for an interview way back in 2016. The issues then seemed “tame” by comparison to those today. You declined to seek office in the past election; what prompted you jump in this time around?
Thanks for agreeing to this. You know me; I come to the point quickly. From a personal point of view, for someone like me who thinks Catholic education is about shaping the minds of tomorrow along the Catholic values our parents thought were indispensable to shaping good citizens for tomorrow, the decision was a no brainer. We need to reset the relationship issue with the Provincial government.
How so? The Ministry has placed the Toronto Catholic District School Board under supervision and suspended the board of trustees.
The move by the Ministry to “suspend” the authority of the Board was a vote of non-confidence and disappointment at the lack of leadership by trustees faced with unfocused Staff. Some of the decisions regarding expenditures, staffing, setting priorities for the next generation of students, the management equity (schools and related properties), adapting to the new and emerging market challenges for our students were puzzling to say the least. I am confident my experience can “right that ship”.
Even as you face teachers’ groups and other activists who seem fixated on issues particular to them, while children both with special needs and not, get ignored?
Look, staff work for trustees. Their job is to propose solutions to problems, cost those solutions, explore sources of funding and have trustees balance the cost-benefit analysis. I have done that and, with some success if I may say so. Trustees do not work for Staff.
Is that why you say the most critical issue to address is the need to rebuild relationships with the Provincial government?
In part. The Board must report attendance (ADE- average daily enrollment, current and projected) in order for the Ministry to release funding. Plus, the Ministry must approve board plans going before they approve specific projects. Some of the decisions boggle the mind. I want to bring some semblance of logic back. Ideology has its place but until someone points to a one that can replace the existing one – Catholic – I say lets focus on discipline, organization, reading, writing and arithmetic. These are at the base of all learning.
Thanks Mr. Piccininni. All the best to you, notwithstanding your knee operation.
Readers can reach him at salpiccininni2026@yahoo.com
In the pic above, Sal Piccininni with Paulina in our newsroom (photo: Corriere Canadese)
