Wynne won't demand resignation from trustee

who called parent racial slur

Wynne: Concerns about systemic racism at YRDSB

Premier Kathleen Wynne was asked why she won't ask a school trustee who used a racial slur to resign. Here is
her full answer.

Rachael D'Amore, CP24.com

Published Wednesday, February 15, 2017 6:08PM EST
Last Updated Wednesday, February 15, 2017 8:20PM EST

The premier is refusing to outright call for the resignation of a school board trustee
who publicly referred to a parent as a N-----, saying there is a larger issue of
systemic racism at the York Region District School Board.

Nancy Elgie, a long-time YRDSB school trustee, admitted to using the racial slur
when referring to the black parent during a board meeting in November of 2016.

Elgie, who has since apologized for her comments, has faced relentless calls for her
resignation ever since.
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Premier Kathleen Wynne faces repeated questions from reporters about calls for a York Region trustee's
resignation.
Nancy Elgie, a York Region trustee, admitted to using a 'racial slur' while referring to a black parent at a meeting in
November of 2016.

When asked directly by reporters at an unrelated news conference Wednesday

whether she agrees with calls by Opposition Leader Patrick Brown and Ontarios
Education Minister Mitzie Hunter for Elgie to resign, Premier Kathleen Wynne
pointed to the investigation into the board as a whole.

As I said, Im not going to comment on one individual, she said. I think this is about
a much bigger question. Its about a question of the culture at the board. I think its
important that we recognize that, from what we are hearing, there may be some
concerns about systemic racism at the board. That is a huge concern.

A reporter asked Wynne if she would ask one of her MPPs to resign if they had said
something similar.

Its unacceptable behavior to me. Yes, its unacceptable, she said but nonetheless,
Wynne said Elgie should decide her fate at the board for herself.

Systemic racism is not about one individual and Im not exonerating an individual,
Im not apologizing for an individual, Im not excusing a particular behaviour but what
I am saying is, Lets look at the broad picture. Lets be honest with ourselves. If
theres a culture of racist behaviour thats going on in a particular board or beyond a
board, then lets tackle that, lets deal with that, she said.

Theres a lot of pressure on this individual. Shes going to have to search her
conscience and make a decision for herself.

Education Minister Mitzie Hunter called for Elgie to do the right thing and step down
while speaking to reporters at Queens Park on Tuesday.

Someone who uses a racial slur of that nature should not be representing the
students of a diverse region, she said.

The use of a racial slur of that kind is completely unacceptable and is not tolerated
at all.
That same night, parents voiced their frustrations at a tense YRDSB trustee meeting.
YRDSBs board chair Loralea Carruthers told the disgruntled parents that she too
feels Elgie should resign.

Trustee Elgie really cares about this board, I know that she does. I called on her to
make sure she does the right thing. I have said that since day one, that she needs to
do the right thing, Carruthers said at the meeting Tuesday night.

Right now, youve heard from the trustees around the table. That right thing is a
resignation.

Charline Grant, who was the target of Elgies racial slur, says her children have also
been targeted because of their race at the school.

She said the board needs to work harder to engage parents and the children
affected.

My son is doing a lot better, she told CP24 at Tuesday nights meeting. As parents
we stand before him to hide him and shield him as much as we can from all of this,
but at the end of the day, its now become about a community and other students or
the children who dont have the voice to fight not just my son.

Last month, Hunter stepped into the ring and appointed two outside reviewers to
investigate the board in order to regain public confidence in the school board.

She said she felt an urgent review was necessary to tackle allegations of systemic
racism among other inner-board issues such as accountability for spending on
trustees international travel.

Patrick Case, a lawyer and chair of the board of Ontario's Human Rights Legal
Support Centre, and Suzette Herbert, a long-time retired public servant who worked
as a deputy minister in the Ontario government from 1997 to 2008, have been
appointed as the two reviewers.

Hunter said they will be tasked with reviewing whether board members and the
director of education are fulfilling their legislated duties as well as making
recommendations on improvements to equity, accountability and transparency.

The YRDSB has been remained under a cloud of allegations of racism and
Islamophobia over the past year.

Hunters call for an investigation also follows complaints by the boards head of
equity, Cecil Roach, who wrote in an open letter last year that he had been sidelined
when trying to deal with inclusivity complaints. He referred specifically to an instance
where a Markham principal was accused of posting Islamophobia images on her
Facebook account.

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