School board snubs minister

Halton Catholic board refuses to end ban on fundraising for pro-choice charities

Ontario’s minster of education says she is keeping a close eye on the Halton Catholic District School Board a day after it rejected her request to suspend a policy that bans student fundraising for charities that don’t align with its religious values.

Meanwhile, a parent who is upset with the “Sanctity of Life” policy — which prevents students from collecting money for organizations including the Canadian Cancer Society and the United Way — is challenging the rules in court.

Education Minister Indira NaidooHarris wrote to the trustees suggesting they “pause” implementation of the policy, which blocks schools from raising money for organizations that “directly or indirectly” support abortion, euthanasia, contraception or embryonic stem cell research.

But at Tuesday’s board meeting, the trustees voted 5-4 to refer the matter to a future meeting. That vote left the policy in effect while consultations with the community continue.

“Five votes said that they would like to keep it the same way as it is,” board chair Diane Rabenda said Wednesday. “I found that very disappointing, personally, but I do represent the board and I have to abide, like all trustees do, with the will of the board.”

The vote came on the same day that David Harvey, a parent and retired lawyer, applied to Ontario Superior Court to quash the policy.

At the very least, he aimed to stop the board from enforcing it until consultations are done and the policy is revised.

“We are very upset with the board's refusal to hear from parents prior to implementing its new policy, despite its legal duties, demands from students and parents, and a request from the Minister,” Harvey said in an email to the Star.

Rabenda acknowledged that “parents are very upset and I understand they’re upset” when asked about fundraising for legal costs. “Whatever they decide to do would be their own initiative, their right,” she said. “It’s their prerogative to do what they see fit.” Harvey was at Tuesday’s meeting, where the trustees voted to defer a decision after hearing from delegates and receiving the minister’s letter. Premier Kathleen Wynne weighed in Wednesday, saying “there are very, very concerned students and teachers in the board.” Rebuffing the minister “will mean that we will have to have another conversation with the chair of the board and with the director,” Wynne said.

Rabenda said she is “always very pleased to talk with the minster and absolutely will be open to discussing anything the minister wishes to speak about.”

“Boards are there to be the eyes and ears on the ground and reflect the needs of communities,” Naidoo-Harris said Wednesday at Queen’s Park.

“It has been my experience that this doesn’t come up very often — most boards do their due diligence, most boards listen to their communities, most boards are in line with their policies reflecting those voices. In this instance, I just want to ensure that that is the case, and that is happening.”

This isn’t the first time this board has found itself in hot water. In the past, it banned gay-straight alliance student groups and refused to allow students to receive the HPV vaccine in its schools.

NDP Education critic Peggy Sattler called the situation “disappointing … I hope board members, families, students and school community members will get together and find a solution, for everyone’s sake.”

Naidoo-Harris added that she would continue to monitor the situation.