Allegations of bullying and the creation of a “toxic workplace” at the Vancouver School Board were confirmed in a report issued Friday, but who the specific players involved in the damning controversy were will likely never be released to the public.
Prepared by Vancouver attorney Roslyn Goldner, the report suggests “members of the senior management team staff were subject to direct bullying and personal harassment.”
“There was evidence that staff competence and professional skills were undermined by this conduct,” the report said. “This had an adverse impact on their ability to effectively work with the board and created a culture of fear in which staff felt vulnerable with regard to their job security.”
Late last September, the entire senior management team went on medical leave, including Superintendent Scott Robinson although he has since returned to his position.
The independent investigation into the bullying allegations was launched in October after the president of the B.C. School Superintendents Association filed a complaint on Sept. 29.
The VSB hired Goldner Oct. 12. That month, WorkSafe B.C. also began its own investigation of the allegations at the VSB.
On. Oct. 17, Education Minister Mike Bernier fired the board after they failed to comply with the School Act and adopt a balanced budget. They were replaced by Dianne Turner, a government-appointed trustee.
Robinson returned to work in January. All senior staff are now back at work, according to the VSB.
Friday’s report was not released in full, and instead reduced to a two-page executive summary. No names of former trustees or senior staff were presented. Who was guilty of the bullying, and in turn, who was bullied, was not made clear.
Interim secretary-treasurer Guy Bonnefoy noted the full report will be made available as soon as possible, but the identities of anyone involved in the controversy will be redacted due to privacy and legal concerns.
The report did mention that tensions reached a boiling point during last summer’s discussions around school closures. Eleven schools — predominantly located on the east side — were on the chopping block. Ultimately, none of the schools on the list were closed and Turner reiterated Friday that the school closure discussion is off the table.
Goldner said three main factors played into the toxicity among staff and trustees: the partisan composition of the board, the governance model adopted by the district and the lack of consistent role definition amongst trustees.
“I find that the conduct of the board breached the requirement to provide employees with an emotionally safe and respectful work environment,” the report said. “I note that there are a number of systemic factors that contributed to the development of a toxic work environment at the VSB.”
Goldner’s report was submitted to the VSB on Feb. 20. WorkSafeBC, in turn, issued an inspection report for Goldner’s findings and found that the VSB’s bullying and harassment policies are in line with WorkSafe’s expectations. Goldner was not asked to make any recommendations in her report.
Members of the district’s senior management team, representatives from stakeholder groups and all former trustees were interviewed.
“Over the course of the investigation a cohesive narrative developed describing the work environment generally and the events of the last several months in particular,” the report said. “The response of certain trustees challenged that narrative.”
While addressing the media, Turner characterized the report as “one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to read.”
Along with Turner, Bonnefoy committed to ensure a harassment-free workplace culture moving forward at every level possible: at the district and in schools.
“To all my hardworking colleagues at the Vancouver school district I want to say emphatically that workplace harassment is unacceptable,” Bonnefoy said. “We are committed to creating a safe and respectful work environment for you.”
Within minutes of Friday’s press conference ending, statements were issued en masse. The four former Vision Vancouver trustees, including Joy Alexander, Patti Bacchus, Mike Lombardi and Allan Wong, issued a joint statement suggesting provincial politicians have too much influence on local school decisions.
“While we were under strong pressure from Education Minister Mike Bernier and our senior management team to move quickly to close schools, we stand by our decision to suspend the process. It was the right thing to do,” the statement reads. “We continue to be concerned by the political interference in the democratic process by the provincial government as a way to deflect from their neglect of public education.”
Cue up Bernier’s response:
“I am pleased to hear that WorkSafeBC’s independent review of this matter also is now complete,” he said. “We have great confidence in the work of VSB staff and the official trustee.”
Former Green trustee Janet Fraser was the deciding vote in rejecting the board’s budget in April, a precursor to the entire board’s firing in October.
“During my time as a trustee I did my best to work respectfully and collaboratively with all trustees despite the partisan political make up of the board,” she said in a press release. “I worked respectfully with VSB staff, recognizing their areas of expertise and their experience."
@JohnKurucz
