TDSB needs supervisor to change 'culture of fear,' expert panel says
Panel, appointed by education minister, says board should be broken up if progress isn’t made
"A culture of fear" exists at the Toronto District School Board, according to an expert advisory panel, which says that the TDSB should be placed under supervision so it can make the sweeping changes necessary to improve governance and restore public confidence.
The report also says that if "demonstrable progress" is not made on the panel's recommendations in one year, the TDSB should be broken up into smaller boards.
"The fundamental issues underlying the governance dysfunction at the TDSB are a culture of fear and lack of trust, especially at the top levels of the organization," the report's executive summary reads.
"There is also a critical need to refocus and redirect more efforts and resources to connecting schools to their immediate neighbourhoods and to increase the engagement of students and parents in schools."
The report, released late Friday after being mistakenly posted online earlier in the day, was issued by the TDSB Governance Advisory Panel, which Education Minister Liz Sandals appointed in March. The panel's mandate was to consult with various stakeholders and report back to the minister over the summer.
It was led by former Toronto Mayor Barbara Hall.
'Comprehensive cultural shift' needed
The culture of fear "has had substantial and detrimental consequences for those working at the board," the executive summary goes on.
"The panel believes that this culture is also impacting what is happening in schools."
In particular, the panel heard "serious concerns" about "inequities" in access to specialty programs and a "lack of resources" in schools to support specific communities' needs, all of which "lead us to conclude that governance dysfunction is perpetuating inequities of opportunity and success across the board," the report says.
The culture at the board "has developed over many years" and under the watch of numerous directors, chairs and senior administrators, and "cannot be allowed to continue," the panel says.
But, a "comprehensive cultural shift that is required" can only happen with outside help, it says.
The panel has 20 recommendations for the board, and is recommending that the Ministry of Education appoint a supervisor to help "make the necessary organizational, structural, and policy changes recommended by the panel to improve governance and restore public confidence in the TDSB."
If progress is not made after one year, then the TDSB should be divided into smaller boards, the panel says.
'Next steps'
Late Friday, Sandals said her ministry will release "next steps" in the coming days.
"By working together with the TDSB, we will be able to improve governance at the board, and ensure that everyone is focused on student achievement and well-being," Sandals said.
TDSB chair Robin Pilkey said the report is "stuck in the past" on the issue of supervision.
"While there is always room for improvement, there have been many positive changes at the TDSB with more to come," Pilkey said in a statement Friday night.
"With regards to the suggestion that we break the Board up — that would be a costly step backward with little benefit to students."
The panel consulted more than 550 stakeholders, including current and former board employees, current and former trustees, teachers, union representatives, parents, students and others.
The report follows a performance review of the TDSB conducted more than a year ago in response to what the provincial government called "serious and persistent governance concerns."
The outside expert who led that review, Margaret Wilson, reported on a "culture of fear" within the TDSB. In response, Sandals issued 13 directions to the board.
When she appointed the advisory panel, Sandals acknowledged that the board had made some progress on those directions, but said more work had to be done.