Teachers’ union calls for trustees’ resignation over ‘inappropriate spending’

Frustrated by the province’s lack of action against a group of trustees who spent $50,000 on a trip to Italy in the summer to purchase artwork, a local teachers’ union is calling for their resignations.

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Carlo Fortino, acting president of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, issued an open letter on Thursday to Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board trustees Rick Petrella, Dan Dignard, Bill Chopp and Mark Watson. The trustees traveled to South Tyrol in July to purchase $100,000 worth of art to be installed in the chapel of St. Padre Pio Secondary School, which is under construction on Powerline Road.

“Recent revelations surrounding your inappropriate spending practices as trustees have significantly eroded confidence in your ability to make sound, responsible decisions that reflect the needs and values ​​of our school community,” said Fortino in the letter, which was sent to the trustees Thursday morning.

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“These actions have not only raised serious questions about your leadership but have also weakened the essential trust that our members, students, parents, other educators and staff have in you.”

In an interview with The Expositor, Fortino said the decision of the union, which represents close to 1,000 local elementary and secondary school teachers, was “carefully considered and discussed among the union executive.”

Fortino said the union condemned the trustees’ actions when they were first made public but “gave them the chance to do the honorable thing” and resign.

In mid-October, Minister of Education Jill Dunlop, who said the ministry and the public “expressed clear concerns for the misuse of taxpayers’ dollars,” called for a governance review of the school board.

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“They were on it to score some political points,” said Fortino of the province. “Then nothing. Who’s minding the hen house? Is it the union’s job to clean up the trustees? How much longer can we wait?”

The trip to Italy came about a month after the school board approved changes to its trustee expense policy. Among the changes were a bump from economy/coach class to business class for air travel outside North America, allowance of charges above the standard hotel room rate, elimination of maximum rates for meals, and allowance of claims of alcohol in some cases.

Following public outcry about the trip, the board tightened up the policy, doing away with business class flights, setting meal rates in Canada, and prohibiting expenses for alcohol, among other changes.

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Petrella issued a statement saying trustees regret their actions and will repay the board all their expenses. He also said donations are being collected to pay for the artwork.

A breakdown of expenses obtained by The Expositor through a Freedom of Information request indicated the four trustees spent $1,600 for a single dinner at a gourmet hotel and spa in Italy. Total transportation costs were $31,500, including $28,200 for flights. Hotels cost were almost $16,000.

Fortino said union members were “pretty incensed” by the spending and by board chair Petrella saying the school board’s positive financial standing was a factor in making the decision to travel to Europe to buy “one-of-a-kind” artworks, including life -sized, hand-painted wood statues of St. Padre Pio and the Virgin Mary, a large crucifix, sculptures depicting the 14 Stations of the Cross, and single piece of art for the new Catholic elementary school under construction in Caledonia.

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The board’s $180-million operating budget for 2024-2025 includes an accumulated surplus of $33 million. Petrella said the board’s financial position allows it “to invest and do things maybe some other boards can’t.”

“Some of our membership felt demoralized,” said Fortino. “We are in need of more resources. We have infrastructure that could be fixed.”

He cited examples of the board not hiring enough early childhood educators and of teachers waiting for audio/visual equipment to be repaired and finally saying, “Screw it, I’ll just buy a speaker myself.”

“You shouldn’t be sitting on that kind of (surplus) money. You should be reinvesting it in students and staff on the board.”

Fortino said he hasn’t received a response from the board after the union’s call for the trustees’ resignations.

“These people are still making critical decisions,” he said.

The union’s letter said the trustees’ stepping down will “allow for a fresh start within our board and community.”

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