Chair of Trustees under Code of Conduct Investigation

Hi everyone, Loralea Carruthers supported the three parents who launched a complaint of Islamophobia on our then Principal Ghada Sadaka, in September and then in November, filed a Human Rights violation to the YRDSB on Sadaka. She is now under Code of Conduct violation herself for 'leaking' confidential information to help her advance her career and become Chair of Trustees in the December election. Please consider sending this generic letter of concern out to the following distribution: TO field: kwynne.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org; mhunter.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org; info@ombudsman.on.ca; coicommissioner@ontario.ca; webmaster@opsba.org; yrdsbreviewers@ontario.ca; CC field: rtin.vanbeek@yrdsb.ca; peter.adams-luchowski@yrdsb.ca; carol.chan@yrdsb.ca; linda.aversa@yrdsb.ca; anna.debartolo@yrdsb.ca; leslie.johnstone@yrdsb.ca; scott.yake@yrdsb.ca; corrie.mcbain@yrdsb.ca; juanita.nathan@yrdsb.ca; susan.geller@yrdsb.ca; billy.pang@yrdsb.ca; allan.tam@yrdsb.ca; martin.vanbeek@yrdsb.ca; peter.adams-luchowski@yrdsb.ca; carol.chan@yrdsb.ca; linda.aversa@yrdsb.ca; anna.debartolo@yrdsb.ca; cec.central@yrdsb.ca; Becky.Green@yrdsb.ca; Michael.Cohen@yrdsb.ca; Rita.Russo@yrdsb.ca; cec.east@yrdsb.ca Daniel.Wu@yrdsb.ca; Erik.Khilji@yrdsb.ca; Peter.Tse@yrdsb.ca cec.north@yrdsb.ca; Camille.Logan@yrdsb.ca; Dianne.Hawkins@yrdsb.ca; Shawn.Bredin@yrdsb.ca; Paul.Valle@yrdsb.ca; Rashmi.Swarup@yrdsb.ca; Tod.Dungey@yrdsb.ca; Leslie.Johnstone@yrdsb.ca; karen.friedman@yrdsb.ca; j.parappally@yrdsb.ca; ============================================== Good morning, I am writing as a concerned parent and resident of York Region. All of us in York Region have had to endure the recent upheaval that has plagued our school board, trustees and by extension, our community. Most recently, this was reinforced by the revelation that a code of conduct complaint has been initiated concerning Loralea Carruthers, the current sitting chair of the Board of Trustees of the York Region District School Board (YRDSB). I am deeply concerned about the nature of this investigation. As reported, the code of conduct complaint alleges the following: 1. That while a elected YRDSB trustee, Loralea Carruthers approached YRDSB executive staff for a senior staff role within the YRDSB. This is a clear conflict of interest violation and represents an abuse of power, authority and influence 2. That Loralea Carruthers used a threatening tone in her attempts to secure the above mentioned role at the YRDSB Additionally, I am very concerned about the media reports related to this Code of Conduct investigation. These reports indicate that Loralea Carruthers asked the Director of the Board to appoint her to the role in question “without competition”. The media report continues and is quoted as claiming that Loralea Carruthers indicated to the Director of Education that if she were to be appointed to the position in question, that he (the Director) would “not have to worry about my position as director.” Finally, the media report goes on to describe what appears to be an escalating and very public questioning of the Director of the Board and the broader leadership of his staff. If true, these would represent an extraordinary abuse of power and authority by an elected official. These allegations in and of themselves are very serious as they undermine trust in her as an elected representative and more importantly as a representative who is charged with the care and education of our children. Moreover, the fact that Loralea Carruthers chose to defend herself publicly notwithstanding the fact that Code of Conduct complaints are confidential and cannot be discussed in public, is problematic. She chose to violate that confidentiality and to act outside of the parameters that govern Code of Conduct. How can we trust a chair of the board who places herself above the regulations that govern her role? At the very least, Loralea Carruthers must stand down and resign as chair of the board until the complaint has been investigated and concluded with any appropriate recommendations. The purpose of this email is to request your intervention on behalf of many concerned residents of York Region to ensure that Loralea Carruthers is removed from her current position as Chair of the Board. Moreover, if an investigation determines that she is in violation of the Board of Trustees Code of Conduct, that Loralea Carruthers be asked to submit her resignation. I look forward to your support as together we seek to rebuild trust and confidence in our public education system. Respectfully, [Your Name]