Catholic board at odds over who should pay trustee’s education bill
A Catholic school trustee alleges her colleagues’ refusal to cover the cost of her master’s degree in public health is in retaliation for her politics — a charge they refute.
After paying the costs of Edmonton Catholic school trustee Marilyn Bergstra’s first term at the University of Waterloo, her board colleagues have turned down a request to cover her professional development expenses in 2017, she said.
“I just think that it’s been unfortunate that ever since I raised issues with respect to the LGBTQ policies, and more recently, questioned the superintendent’s contract, that there is an excavating crew,” Bergstra said in an interview Wednesday.
Edmonton Catholic school board chair Laura Thibert said she and her board colleagues are simply following the rules, and there’s nothing personal about the decision.
“I am obligated to the board and to the taxpayer to follow the policy,” Thibert said.
Bergstra first enrolled in Waterloo’s Master of Public Health program in August 2016. She spent 12 days in Ontario last summer, and is completing the rest of the degree from Alberta.
Expense reports posted online show the school board reimbursed her for $4,453 for her tuition, application fee, flights, accommodation, meals, cab fare and memberships in the Canadian Public Health Association and Ontario Public Health Association.
Bergstra was school board chairwoman at the time, so approval of her expenses was up to the board’s vice-chair, the board’s policy says. John Acheson, who was vice-chair at the time, said he approved the expenses after discussion with his board colleagues. Acheson said he followed board policy, but wouldn’t comment further.
Thibert said she doesn’t know why Acheson approved the expenses — she wasn’t chair then.
When Bergstra paid the university, then attempted to claim $6,490 for tuition for three semesters in 2017, she said Thibert turned her down. Bergstra said she planned to pay back any expenses if she is not re-elected in October.
Thibert said she has asked for receipts to be submitted course by course so she can decide which ones are relevant to Bergstra’s board governance role.
The school board’s policy says trustees are entitled to $4,000 a year for professional development ($4,500 for the board chair) and choose how to spend it.
“The board recognizes that continuous updating of skills and awareness of emerging education trends and issues are vital to a trustee’s contribution to the board,” the policy says.
Bergstra said public health issues are inseparable from education. She cited an increasing recognition by schools to help combat mental health problems and obesity, and said existing sex education is inadequate.
“We have rising (sexually transmitted infection) rates. Our kids need to know how to protect themselves,” she said.
According to public expense reports, Larry Kowalczyk claimed $3,318 and Debbie Engel claimed $2,789 to attend the Religious Education Congress in Anaheim, Calif., in February 2016. Bergstra, Acheson and Engel attended the same conference in 2013, and Bergstra went again in 2014.
Bergstra said the trips yielded some useful information. There were sessions on papal philosophy and theology. Some attendees spent their nights at Disneyland and enjoying the pool, she said. It caused her to rethink how she should best spend her professional development dollars, and what parents and taxpayers would want her to do.
Thibert said the board policy states any professional developments must be supported by receipts, which she hasn’t yet received from Bergstra.
The board’s job is to govern, and it relies on school district employees for their expertise and knowledge, she said.
Faith development is a legitimate use of the board’s professional development funds, Thibert said. Although she hasn’t been to the Religious Education Congress, Thibert said many staff and trustees have found it to be an “amazing experience” that enhanced their religious understanding.
Thibert has also expensed postsecondary education courses while serving as a trustee, including a negotiations course, a leadership coaching class, and a global diversity class at Athabasca University.