Advertisement

Vancouver School Board votes to suspend school closure process

Click to play video: 'Vancouver School Board fallout'
Vancouver School Board fallout
WATCH: Amid allegation of bullying and harassment and a sudden refusal to close schools, the Vancouver School Board appears to be edging closer to being fired by B.C.’s education minister. Keith Baldrey has more on the decision and the fallout – Oct 4, 2016

The Vancouver School Board (VSB) has voted to suspend the public process to close up to 11 schools after several senior staff members took medical leave.

WorkSafeBC is investigating allegations board trustees are bullying senior management staff to the point where some staffers have taken leave.

WATCH: The Vancouver School Board crisis appears to be deepening. Managers have taken medical leave over allegations of bullying by trustees. Catherine Urquhart has more.

Click to play video: 'VSB senior staff members take medical leave'
VSB senior staff members take medical leave

Global News learned of the allegations through a memo sent to Education Minister Mike Bernier from the BC School Superintendents Association. The letter outlined a series of complaints of bullying, harassment and intimidation in the workplace.

Story continues below advertisement
“[The VSB’s] work environment continually and cumulatively creates a toxicity which fosters fear and lack of sense of safety for these lead educators as the expectations requested of them are unmanageable,” part of the letter, signed by association president Sherry Elwood, reads.

WATCH: Six VSB senior staffers on leave

Click to play video: 'Six VSB senior management staff on leave'
Six VSB senior management staff on leave

The allegations came several days after two senior VSB staffers, the acting superintendent and the acting treasurer, mysteriously took medical leave at the same time.

Breaking news from Canada and around the world sent to your email, as it happens.

On Monday, it was revealed that four more administrators have taken leave.

Story continues below advertisement

WATCH: VSB bullying allegations deepen

Click to play video: 'Vancouver School Board bullying allegations deepen'
Vancouver School Board bullying allegations deepen

“It’s extremely disturbing what’s going on,” VSB trustee Fraser Ballantyne told Global News. “It’s been a very upsetting fall so far. We’re pretty resilient at the Vancouver School Board but this is unprecedented. If this isn’t a crisis, I don’t know what is.”

– With files from Jill Slattery and Keith Baldrey

Sponsored content

AdChoices