In the News

"Pollock and the public board's six other elected officials were fired last Thursday by provincial Learning Minister Lyle Oberg,  who accepted chairman Teresa Woo-Paw's conclusion the board was "dysfunctional." Calgary Sun - Monday, August 23, 1999

"I do find it somewhat embarrassing the way trustees have been acting," said Christina Chase, a fourth-year teacher at Earl Grey elementary school." Calgary Herald - Friday, August 20th 1999

Oberg dissolves school board - Calgary public board called 'completely dysfunctional' David Heyman

Calgary Herald - Friday, August 20th 1999

Alberta's learning minister dismissed the seven-member board of the problem-plagued Calgary public school system Thursday -- and has called for a byelection likely before year's end.

Trustees will be replaced by former City of Calgary chief commissioner George Cornish, who will act as an official trustee for one of Canada's largest school systems until a new board is elected.

Learning Minister Lyle Oberg said he arrived at the decision after chairwoman Teresa Woo-Paw told him last week that internal strife and persistent controversy had rendered the board "completely  dysfunctional."

Oberg said: "This is not a step I take lightly, nor is it a reflection on the integrity of any individual board member, but rather on the board as a corporate entity and its collective inability to conduct business in a professional manner."

"The board also shows no sign of being able to turn things around in the near future."

Just last month, Oberg denied he was contemplating dismissing the board. Woo-Paw, chairwoman since her re-election last year, said the minister's decision "represents a failure of adults to act in an adult manner to resolve adult problems."

She said the Calgary Board of Education trustees failed to serve in the best interests of the district's 100,000 schoolchildren adding: "The evidence of trustees' inability to work together, punctuated by scornful personal differences has been well documented."

Oberg and Woo-Paw agreed that dissolving the board was the best solution and that no single issue made up their minds.

But the minister outlined several issues that led to his decision: two alleged violations of the privacy act; the disclosure of bitter personal notes passed during meetings; and a brief physical standoff during a meeting, when trustee Jennifer Pollock stood in front of trustee Danielle Smith, trying to block her from leaving a room.

For her part, Pollock said the dismissal was Oberg's way of silencing the Tory government's biggest critics of underfunded education.

But five of the seven trustees backed Oberg's decision.

"The atmosphere is so poisoned that I don't believe this board could work together," said Liz LoVecchio, who resigned in March as vice-chairwoman after a disagreement with Woo-Paw.

Like most trustees, LoVecchio took part of the blame, saying: "We're all responsible for our own actions."

Trustee Judy Tilston, a former chairwoman in her third term who was at the centre of the privacy hearing and note-writing scandals, said she would not run again.

"I don't have the stomach for the politics and my heart wouldn't be in it," she said.

Smith, who often butted heads with Tilston, said she would seek a seat.

The five others, however, remain undecided, saying they would make a decision within the next few weeks. Trustees must be out of their offices by  4 p.m. today.

Tilston said Oberg is trying to silence the board most critical of his government, and his decision raises questions about his party's commitment to elected boards.

"The trouble with elected boards is you can't control them," she said.

Pollock -- Tilston's friend and a former chair -- said Oberg's decision represents "a loss of democracy" but she hopes some good will come of it.

Liberal opposition MLA Gary Dickson said Premier Ralph Klein has "basically eliminated local decision-making" and mirrors Klein's move earlier this year to place his former treasurer Jim Dinning as chairman of the Calgary Regional Health Authority.

"This is a consolidation of power in the premier's office," said Dickson.

But Jocelyn Burgener, Tory MLA for Calgary-Currie, and a former trustee in the Calgary Catholic system, said that was a red herring. She supports Oberg, saying she's received calls from the public supporting the move.

"George's ability as an administrator is well recognized, Oberg has appointed someone the community already recognizes."

Cornish has refused comment. He was chief city commissioner for eight years -- 1981-89 -- during Klein's tenure as mayor of Calgary.

Pollock and Tilston blamed Woo-Paw for a lack of leadership and slammed unnamed trustees for bringing "party politics" to the board, a veiled reference to Smith and Peggy Anderson, first-term trustees who are involved with the Reform party.

Tilston, Pollock and LoVecchio have Liberal party connections and often clashed with Smith and Anderson. Woo-Paw and vice-chairwoman Lynn Nishimura, a former teachers' union head, constituted a third faction, though they often aligned themselves with Smith and Anderson.

Smith said the board's political mix wasn't working and said problems existed before she was elected last year.

"I think my ideas and my policies are good for the kids," Smith said, adding all trustees share some responsibility.

Anderson also backed Oberg, saying she'll wait for feedback from the public before deciding if she'll run again.

Nishimura refused to lay blame on any trustee, saying the board's diversity wasn't the problem and she hopes Calgarians would take a big interest in the coming byelections.

Under the School Act, Oberg cannot dismiss a single trustee, though he can dump an entire board. It's the fifth time in Alberta's history that school boards have been dismissed, Oberg said, but the first time for Calgary or any major centre in the province.

CBE Chief Supt. Donna Michaels said she was saddened and said trustees have been under extraordinary stress in recent months.

The CBE has a two-year, $55-million accumulated deficit that most trustees blame on chronic underfunding. It narrowly dodged a teachers' strike twice this year, but was pulled back from the brink both times by the government.  Initially, the government imposed a Disputes Inquiry Board in April after teachers had given strike notice, effectively delaying job action for about a month. Then, when the DIB said the board recommended a settlement close to what teachers wanted, the government gave trustees permission to sign the deal despite the fact it would cost several million dollars more than it had budgeted.

The CBE must close about 440 classrooms to save maintenance costs, and will shut several under-used schools to trigger government grants to build new ones. After a summer of funding announcements, the CBE announced last week it would have to lay off about 80 non-teaching employees, and reduce the number of teachers by about 30.

Teachers in the system had mixed reactions to Oberg's decision.

"I do find it somewhat embarrassing the way trustees have been acting," said Christina Chase, a fourth-year teacher at Earl Grey elementary school.

Larry Booi, the Alberta Teachers' Association president, said Oberg's move is a "serious overreaction."

Kurt Moench, president of the Calgary local of the ATA, said the board appeared to be getting on track when they were dismissed.

"I'm certainly aware some public disagreement had taken place," Moench said. "I didn't suppose those would be used as grounds for dismissal."