Trustee’s degree pitch handled poorly
Re. “Catholic board at odds over who should pay trustee’s education bill,” Feb. 16
In her public airing of a concern over her personal professional development, Edmonton Catholic Schools trustee Marilyn Bergstra shows poor judgment on two counts.
First, taxpayer-funded resources for trustee development are most appropriately used for courses and programs directly related to board governance and subjects clearly supporting the mission of the organization. They should not be used for loosely related career development of trustees, particularly for undertaking longer-term degree commitments.
In my years serving as a board member and chair of various boards, I have not seen this sort of self-serving rationalization used to justify board member development.
Second, it is very inappropriate for trustee Bergstra to raise this personal matter in a public forum. This serves no useful purpose and only fuels a narrative of board dysfunction.
The amazing people who contribute to Catholic education in our community, and those who are served by this important organization, deserve better. Terry Harris, Edmonton