Freedom Flyer 33

By Jonathan Sher
Free Press Reporter

London public school board trustee Robert Vaughan wants to order teachers back to work with a court injunction - an issue many of his colleagues won't touch.

"I would move for an injunction to send employees back and end an illegal strike. We have a commitment to the kids of this city," Vaughan said in answer to a question at an all-candidates meeting for the soon-to-be-amalgamated English-lanuage Public District School Board No. 11.

Vaughan was openly opposed by trustee Bill Brock, who said, "I'll stand on the picket line."

But most trustees refused to disclose their positions, even those who have grave misgivings with an education bill they say would unhinge democratic decision-making.

Trustee Marlene Patton said: "You can't force an injunction. You have to have happy teachers to have happy students and a happy school."

But later Patton said she would not say whether she supported the strike nor if she would seek an injunction to end it.

Also refusing to commit to a position were trustees Heather Wice, John Townshend and Joyce Bennett.

Townshend said he had a position he would not state publicly for fear it would cause division among teachers and compromise the future board's ability to deal with its employees.

Brock was joined in his support of striking teachers by Breton Downe, running for the new board, and trustee Alex Sutherland, who said, "I'm appalled at the insult to the democratic process."

Teachers went on strike Monday over Bill 160, a package of education reforms that aim to trim preparation time for secondary teachers, cap class sizes and recruit non-certified staff for non-teaching duties.

The teacher strike has done little to alter apparent apathy among the electorate over the future school board.

Only 30 or so showed up for the meeting at the London public library central branch, their questions few.

Vaughan, who has frequently sailed against the prevailing winds of the current school board, took shots at his colleagues, saying they were spending too much on administration.

Vaughan questioned why the new amalgamated board will need 18 superintendents, the number being recommended by a local education committee co-chaired by Wice and Townshend.

"Their job is policy and it's the same job whether it's 40,000 students or 80,000 students," he said.

But Wice defended the recommendation, saying the new board will be bigger than Shell Canada, and that the number of superintendents would likely be within the range to be approved by the province.

The amalgamated board will bring together four boards, which offer different programs in key areas such as pre-kindergarten and special education.

Candidates differed on whether it was possible to bring them all up - or down - to the same level in terms of program.

"It may not be a case of bringing them up ... in some cases it may mean bringing them down," Vaughan said.