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.
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.
WATCH: Six VSB senior staffers 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.
On Monday, it was revealed that four more administrators have taken leave.
WATCH: VSB 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