QUEBEC CITY – Yet another English school board is calling for the Quebec government to scrap Bill 86, the controversial piece of legislation that aims to reform school board elections.
The latest appeal, from the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), comes after weeks of testimony at the National Assembly hearings in Quebec City.
The bill, if passed, would get rid of school board commissioners and limit school board elections.
READ MORE: Lester B. Pearson school board wants Bill 86 scrapped
The EMSB boasts the highest rate of student graduation in Quebec: almost 88 per cent.
“To be honest, the entire community of the English Montreal School Board begrudges the time that we could have invested in our students, but had to waste combating Bill 86,” said Angela Mancini, EMSB chairperson.
Education Minister Sébastien Proulx said he won’t comment until the hearings are over, but insisted his government will reflect on the bill.
However, for school boards in the province, the answer seems obvious.
READ MORE: QESBA ‘optimistic’ after Bill 86 hearings
“Every school board that has come forward and every school board that’s sent a memoir has said they’re against Bill 86, both francophone and anglophone,” said Mancini.
“As far as I’m concerned, the only thing the government can do with this is go back to the drawing board and start all over again.”
The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), which represents 30,000 employees in the both the English and French school systems, also called for the government to scrap Bill 86.
Representatives argued the legislation gives the minister too much power to interfere in hiring a director, change budget rules and force school boards to share resources.
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