http://www.thesuburban.com/news/qesba-to-lead-judicial-charge-against-school-boards-elimination/article_6bb5164f-63f0-526a-ae81-50b3ee06876a.html?fbclid=IwAR1mDs_dBYzwXosnrL7d2VRR-zlh1vEGFf0RO2Ln6PsdhQKQN9ZY2rpQYYI
Following last week’s announcement about the CAQ administration’s plan to follow through with its plans to abolish Québec’s school boards, Québec English School Board Association (QESBA) director Russell Copeman told The Suburban that he expects the association to lead the judicial fight against the bill.
“Not only is it an offense against local democracy, but the CAQ’s new bill (Bill #40) clearly doesn’t meet the Supreme Court’s criteria under section 23 of the Canadian Charter,” said Copeman. “If it goes to court, I have no doubt the QESBA will lead the charge.”
While Québec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge described Bill 40 as a radical plan to reform public education in Québec, the new law is expected to abolish local school boards in order to replace them with so-called ‘service centers’ made up of 16 people – essentially volunteers as they will not be paid for their service. Although board members will be paid $100 to participate in their monthly meetings, the money is little more than pocket change when compared to the responsibility that defines a responsible commissioner’s work. While the law will allow the province’s 9 English language public school boards to elect their commissioners (as usual) in order to accommodate minority language community rights to operate and manage their own schools, the ‘service centers’ will still be responsible to the minister and his (her) bureaucracy who will effectively have the last word about public education in Québec. According to Copeman, it’s the end of local school board democracy because he doubts that the new service centers will have the kind of power and responsibility to be able to provide both the oversight and the scrutiny that’s required to manage and operate an efficient school board.
Following last week’s announcement about the CAQ administration’s plan to follow through with its plans to abolish Québec’s school boards, Québec English School Board Association (QESBA) director Russell Copeman told The Suburban that he expects the association to lead the judicial fight against the bill.
“Not only is it an offense against local democracy, but the CAQ’s new bill (Bill #40) clearly doesn’t meet the Supreme Court’s criteria under section 23 of the Canadian Charter,” said Copeman. “If it goes to court, I have no doubt the QESBA will lead the charge.”
While Québec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge described Bill 40 as a radical plan to reform public education in Québec, the new law is expected to abolish local school boards in order to replace them with so-called ‘service centers’ made up of 16 people – essentially volunteers as they will not be paid for their service. Although board members will be paid $100 to participate in their monthly meetings, the money is little more than pocket change when compared to the responsibility that defines a responsible commissioner’s work. While the law will allow the province’s 9 English language public school boards to elect their commissioners (as usual) in order to accommodate minority language community rights to operate and manage their own schools, the ‘service centers’ will still be responsible to the minister and his (her) bureaucracy who will effectively have the last word about public education in Québec. According to Copeman, it’s the end of local school board democracy because he doubts that the new service centers will have the kind of power and responsibility to be able to provide both the oversight and the scrutiny that’s required to manage and operate an efficient school board.
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