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Members to face discipline – Metro US

Members to face discipline

The education minister promised to introduce legislation this fall that will allow her to discipline elected members on dysfunctional school boards.

“I have begun a period of consultation on how to address transgressions by individual board members,” Karen Casey said in a press release.

The intent is to give boards and education ministers more flexibility when elected members breach their code of ethics or bylaws.

Right now, the minister can only discipline the entire board, not individuals.

The Nova Scotia School Boards Association says that legislation should be a top priority in the fall.

“Given that the Halifax board was removed in 2006, it’s unfortunate that the government did not amend the Education Act sooner,” association president Elliott Payzant said in a press release.

Casey fired the Halifax regional school board in December 2006 due to elected members’ constant bickering. She appointed then-retired bureaucrat Howard Windsor to run the board.

New elected school boards are expected to resume when province-wide elections take place in October.

Casey said her department is drafting a job description to inform potential candidates what’s required so they are clear about their roles and responsibilities.

lindsay.jones@metronews.ca