Trustee debates: people too big for practical decisions
TORONTO – I attended the Debate in ward 2 for trustee candidates who aim to represent Catholics in the Catholic District school system, one that is constitutionally mandated, historically and legislatively, to protect and promote their identity in Canada. In discharging that duty, they contribute to the development of the culture that is Canada’s.
It is an impressive mandate. There is nothing discriminatory against others if one lives up to the standards that membership in a Constitutionally recognized denomination demands of its members. Non-Catholics have an equally serious obligation to provide assiduous service to their clientele in their systems. There are no constraints, no shackles: if you do not like it, leave; but, do not spit in the plate from which you eat.
Even candidate Markus De Domenico, who was Chair when the TCDSB was placed under supervision for gross financial incompetence, admitted to the distinction. The other candidate, Sara Concordia, focused on handling the visible, manageable issues related to infrastructure, accommodations, availability of teaching supplies and support mechanisms to enhance community, family and learning.
In any other environment, the choice should be easy. Who deserves our vote of confidence; the trustee whose defiant non-observance to this foundational concept brought about the near collapse of Catholic schools, or someone whose business acumen has served to enhance the culture of parishioners among which she was raised?
This is a circuitous route to the question of eligibility for [this] office. The enforcement of the observance of those “qualifications” emerged as an issue when the question was [generically] put as follows, “who testifies to your denominational observance”, your citizenship and the assessment roll through which your direct your property taxes? Various municipalities and school boards around the GTHA appear to have impeded the enforcement of one or more of these legal requirements.
The inevitable question has surfaced under various guises, but all ask the fundamental question, “do you have authority”. Under those circumstances, Trustee De Domenico would never be able to justify the over $500,000 invoice for legal service in the persecution of former colleague Trustee Del Grande because he stood up for denominational rights against the counter-culture agenda.
Nor, for that matter should he have approved the elimination of the International Languages Day program. The move would save 10% of the declared board budgetary deficit ($75 million) but collapse the jobs of seventy-seven (77) classroom instructions. His (?) solution, worked out in conjunction with the MPP of his ward was to offer language courses during the period set aside for religious studies. In a Catholic board!
Nonetheless, the “debate”, factoring in the usual [misguided, in my view] attempted manipulation to secure a desired outcome, exposed two other concerning trends: one, the absence of the Ontario Catholic Trustees Association (OCSTA) in the defense of Catholic Boards; two, the indifference of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) in the development of teachers and students.
No one from OCSTA was at the debate. OECTA was silent. Guess who has carriage of the negotiations for “conditions” in the classroom?