Education minister says firing the VSB isn’t off the table

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – BC’s education minister says it’s unfortunate reports of bullying within the high ranks of the Vancouver School Board is taking attention away from the ongoing talks of funding and potential school closures.

Several senior staff members have taken medical leave as the board has voted to suspend the public process to shut down nearly one dozen schools. WorkSafeBC says it is investigating allegations that board trustees are picking on senior management staff.

It was Vision Vancouver trustees who voted to push back the closures, while their NPA opponents abstained.

One NPA trustee feels they were blindsided and believes it was an intentional move.

Vision Trustee Patti Bacchus denies they were shut out as well as accusations of bullying. “I saw those recommendations for the first time at the meeting, as did the NPA. We were all given the same information and it was debated. It was very clear. It was not a complicated matter to process.”

Mike Bernier says the provincial government wants to stay out of this, but admits firing the entire board is not off the table. He says the internal bickering needs to be put aside so the board can make “good decisions.”

He says the Vancouver School Board is both in trouble and floundering and the government is willing to let the WorkSafe BC investigation unfold. Bernier says it’s a tough situation but points out any allegations, considered serious, need to be properly investigated.

Meanwhile, NDP Education Critic Rob Flemming says he thinks the provincial government is looking for any excuse to fire the Vancouver School Board.

“While (Minister Bernier) is cautioning that we not pre-judge a situation that is personnel-related and will remain confidential, he’s already jumping to conclusions and saying that he may fire the Vancouver School Board,” he adds. “This makes no sense.”

Flemming asserts that school closures have proven disastrous “in every corner of the province.”

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