Elected TDSB student and school ward trustees are unable to formally raise issues with board after provincial changes

A Toronto District School Board logo is seen on a sign in front of a high school in Toronto, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Toronto District School Board (TDSB) student trustees and elected school ward trustees are trying to find ways to speak up for students, after formal avenues to advocate and do business at the board were revoked by the Ford government.

“It’s really frustrating and disappointing that it was taken away from me,” said Ahnaaf Hassan, an elected TDSB student trustee who attends Grade 12 at R. H. King Academy in Scarborough.

Hassan is one of two student trustees elected to represent nearly 240,000 students across the board. A third Indigenous trustee was also appointed to the position.

Since the provincial government put four school boards—including the TDSB—under supervision over spending probes at the end of June, Hassan said he hasn’t been able to access emails, schedule meetings or communicate with the education director on a regular basis or with elected school trustees serving wards.

Hassan told CTV News there are many issues needing attention at the TDSB and students are losing out by not having a voice at the board. At the moment, he said students don’t have any adult trustees to go to anymore and he can’t provide any input into motions brought forward at the board.

“Even though I’ve been elected, there’s no shot for me to speak on behalf of students or speak on behalf of my community.”

Hassan said the loss of elected ward trustees is also calling into question student interest programs like the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement, because he isn’t sure what the TDSB supervisor will do.

• READ MORE: Ontario education minister takes aim at Toronto school board chair over $15 shake, other expenses

Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra has said he can’t see putting boards that are currently under supervision back in the hands of trustees, and is looking at eliminating the position of trustee altogether.

Zakir Patel is the elected school trustee for Scarborough-Guildwood and until the TDSB was put under supervision, its vice-chair. He said eliminating trustees will impact parents and democracy, but the most affected by the change will be students.

Patel said having student trustees sit with the TDSB board allowed trustees not only to hear fresh ideas from the younger generation, but also learn first-hand from students about what’s going on in classrooms.

“If we take this away from them, what is their future? What are they going to do in the future?,” Patel told CTV News on Monday. “We need leadership in the future. How are we going to create future leaders? This is what Ahnaaf and other student trustees are all about. They are our future leaders.”

“This is my request to the minister. Hear them out. If you feel there is something wrong in the process, correct the process. But do not blame all the trustees for what other trustees are doing wrong.”

He said the government shouldn’t take out what’s wrong in process on student trustees.

“Did they do any mismanagement. I don’t think so.”

Education Minister’s office responds

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, Calandra’s press secretary said when a school board in Ontario is placed under ministry supervision, the supervisor takes over the governance and decision-making functions of the board.

“The supervisor has the authority to make decisions that would normally be made by the trustees, including student trustees, on matters such as financial management, policy implementation, and operational oversight.”

“The Minister has encouraged supervised boards to continue engaging with and listening to the concerns and feedback of students. Student trustees, like all students and members of the public, retain the ability to advocate for student interests and share their perspectives.”

Student trustees finding ways to keep advocating

“I was shocked,“ said elected school trustee Victor Jiang reacting to the Ford government’s takeover the TDSB this summer.

Jiang is now a Grade 12 student at Marc Garneau Collegiate in Thorncliffe Park.

Before the board takeover, Jiang said he was excited about being elected student trustee and was looking forward to marking reforms in a formal setting, in particular changing the TDSB’s lottery system for schools to one based on merit and demonstrated interest in certain areas.

Jiang said despite the board supervision, he’s still looking forward to advocating for students in informal and formal settings.

“Through social media, through my own charity on social justice, I do want to continue advocating,” he told CTV News.

He said his first concern is always student voice in addition to having an ability to talk about issues in a decision-making capacity, and is welcome to new forms of governance from the ministry or province.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily a good or bad thing. I think our school board may have had some financial issues and may not have been operating at optimal capacity.”

Jiang said right now, student trustees don’t have a clear role, and he wants to make sure trustees can still speak up on important student issues.

“What I really do want to focus on is transparency, accountability and that our voice is able to stay, and we are able to influence the systems which governs us,” he said.

Hassan added that despite not being able to advocate for students the way he hoped with TDSB, he too is working to bring student voices to the forefront outside of his role.

He said he’s no longer receiving the $2,500 honorarium for the student trustee position, but is determined to keep speaking up.

“I’ll continue my work in advocacy because of number one, I’m being affected by it and number two, being elected by my peers from all across TDSB, now representing 239,000 people and students, it’s unfair for me to let them down,” he said. “Because it’s something I’m passionate about, I will continue serving them and speaking up for them, even though I’m not getting paid.”

Hassan said eliminating trustees is not necessary, but sees a possible path forward with students working alongside whoever is running the board to ensure their voices are not being silenced.