Angela Mancini, the chairperson of the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), is calling into question the conclusions of a report carried out by an independent human resources firm that recommends she no longer be allowed to run in future school board elections.
In a statement issued on Friday, Mancini alleges she did not receive a fair process and claims there was “a lack of a proper investigation” by Steven Droz & Associates Inc., the authors behind the report.
Global News has obtained a redacted copy of the report’s conclusions and has only seen seven pages out of the 273-page report. The firm recommends Quebec’s Education Ministry prohibit Mancini and her supporters from running in future EMSB elections.
Former Quebec MP Marlene Jennings, who is the trustee of the school board, commissioned the report after Mancini had approached her in January with allegations that she was a victim of harassment.
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Both the province’s Education Ministry and Jennings have declined to comment on the report.
In its report, the firm stated Mancini’s complaints were “not only unfounded, but were filed and pursued in a vexatious and bad faith manner.”
In her statement, Mancini said her complaint was filed in good faith and she alleges the conclusions outlined in the report are “based entirely on the perpetrators’ denials.” She claims Droz only spoke to her and the two people she accused of psychological harassment.
“Mr. Droz consistently refused to consider the abundant evidence by witnesses and the material facts that I pleaded he should consider,” Mancini said.
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Mancini also takes aim at the suggestion of barring her or her supporters from running in future school board elections, saying Droz “had no mandate to that end” and that “no one under the authority of any law, has the authority to curtail fundamental democratic rights.”
“It is clear to me that his summary is more of a political vendetta and not a simple summary on harassment,” said Mancini.
Droz responded to Mancini’s statement in an email to say that he has “no comment other to state that I stand by the investigative process and my report.”
Mancini said she will reserve her comments on the full report until she is provided with it and that she will not be making any further comments at this time.
— With files from Global News’ Gloria Henriquez
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