Manitoba’s largest school board has issued penalties to two trustees, one of whom is suspended for 30 days, over decorum-related concerns.
The Winnipeg School Division released vague details about recent disciplinary action in minutes from an Oct. 7 meeting.
Ward 2 representative Lois Brothers was censured and barred from her duties for 30 days at the meeting.
Ann Evangelista, who is also a first-term trustee and represents Ward 9, was only censured.
Both elected officials were penalized for violating the board’s code of conduct, per minutes that were uploaded alongside an agenda for a regular meeting that was held Monday.
“I have to be respectful of what we talk about confidentially,” said Kathy Heppner, chairwoman of the board of trustees.
“What I can say was the basis for the censure and the barring was due to a complaint that we received regarding inappropriate conduct that occurred prior to the inaugural meeting we had on Sept. 16.”
Internal policy states all trustees are required to act with integrity, respect others with differing opinions, and “operate in a collegial manner with fellow board members and administration.”
At minimum, board members have to engage in respectful interactions with the public and each other, Heppner said, adding trustees have been reminded of their responsibilities.
Brothers declined to comment on the matter.
In an email, Evangelista said she is processing the situation and will comment on it when she is ready.
The self-governing board did not record votes on any of the penalties.
Brothers nominated Evangelista as a candidate for vice chair during the board’s first meeting of the school year.
Following a group vote on two candidates, the board tapped Ward 5 trustee Dante Aviso to fill the role.
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca
Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter
Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., Maggie was an intern at the Free Press twice while earning her degree at Ryerson’s School of Journalism (now Toronto Metropolitan University) before joining the newsroom as a reporter in 2019. Read more about Maggie.
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