Four former Vancouver School Board (VSB) trustees are suggesting they may go to court, alleging Education Minister Mike Bernier defamed them.
The Vision Vancouver trustees are demanding Bernier and the president of the B.C. School Superintendents Association apologize for alleging the trustees were responsible for creating a toxic work environment, prompting six senior staff members to go on medical leave.
READ MORE: Former Vancouver School Board chair Mike Lombardi calls firing ‘outrageous’
One of those members has since accepted a position with the Burnaby Board of Education.
Earlier this month, Bernier said the board had “a misplaced focus on political tactics rather than responsible stewardship.”
Former VSB chair person Mike Lombardi called the firing “outrageous” and said the VSB is being “run out” by the government.
In April, the board refused to balance the budget. And in June, Bernier announced that a full review and forensic audit of the VSB would be launched following the board’s decision to reject a Ministry of Education proposal to partially address the board’s $18-million shortfall by selling the Kingsgate Mall.
The Vancouver board was the only district in the province that did not submit a balanced budget by June 30.
-With files from Yuliya Talmazan
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