Songhees Nation calls for resignations after 2 Greater Victoria School District trustees suspended

The Songhees Nation is speaking out against the actions of the Greater Victoria School District (GVSD), after two trustees were suspended.

The nation joins the Greater Victoria Teachers Association (GVTA) in its decision to boycott all GVSD board meetings until issues raised are resolved, and goes as far calling for resignations of school board members.

The nation released a statement Thursday, after the GVSD announced the suspension of two members for allegations of bullying and harassment.

Both the Songhees Nation and the GVTA say they were shocked by the sudden censure and suspension of the two members, saying there was no due process or transparency in the matter.

On Feb. 11, the school district board announced that trustees Diane McNally and Rob Paynter had been censured and suspended from their duties until October.

School district spokesperson Lisa McPhail said the board was notified about a pair of formal complaints for alleged bullying and harassment of staff in public comments.

"Due to the serious nature of these allegations, the board launched a third-party investigation with a highly experienced lawyer and investigator," McPhail said in a statement.

The third party investigator substantiated the claims of misconduct, according to the school district.

The board later held a closed meeting, and determined the censures and suspensions were warranted.

"There must be zero tolerance for bullying in the Greater Victoria School District," said McPhail at the time. "All employees and students deserve to feel safe when they enter our schools and workplace."

McNally called the suspension "pretty preposterous," saying the decision was "an attempt to silence two trustees who have a different perception of what is required in governments at the school district."

VOTE OF NON-CONFIDENCE

The following week, the Greater Victoria Teachers Association held a rare vote of non-confidence, saying they were shocked by the decision to suspend two elected representatives.

According to the association's president, there was no communication from the board about the decision to suspend the trustees for allegations of harassment and bullying.

"No information about the allegations, the process, the findings, or the decision to suspend has been provided," the GVTA said in a statement.

The teachers association said that with important votes coming up, its members don't feel like they can count on the board of trustees to stick to a legitimate process.

GVTA president Winona Waldron said most teachers attend board meetings, and concerns from educators weren't flagged before.

"We hadn't been alerted beforehand," said Waldron. "I attend all of the meetings of the board and I didn’t witness something that I thought rose to the level of bullying and harassment."

"These are publicly elected officials and the right decision is for them not to be re-elected if that’s what the public wants, but that decision happens in October," she said.

At that time, the teachers association voted to boycott all meetings of the board until the association was satisfied with due process – or until the trustees were re-instated.

The Songhees Nation has since also decided to boycott all GVSD meetings, demanding a full account of the process that led to the suspension of two trustees.

"Furthermore, we call on the Minister of Education for the resignations of the Greater Victoria Board of Education," reads a statement from the Songhees Nation. "Our children and families deserve better."

On Tuesday, Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside said she was aware of the suspensions, which followed a third-party investigation.

"This is a local governance matter and the board has made its own decision regarding conduct of these trustees," she said in a statement.

"My expectation is that the board is listening to the voices of First Nations and community members, and taking steps to answer the questions they have raised about the steps that have been taken."