After executive retreat pushback, TVDSB head takes leave of absence
CBC
The head of the region's largest school board has taken a leave of absence after coming under fire for a retreat to Toronto for senior leaders, despite a budget deficit and classroom cutbacks.
Mark Fisher was first hired as director of education for the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) in September 2019.
An emergency board of trustees meeting was held on Friday at 8 p.m., CBC News has learned. The last-minute board meeting was not announced to the media. The entirety of the board meeting was held in-camera.
Sources who were at the meeting say Fisher's leave of absence is the result of blowback over an executive trip to Toronto, where about 18 senior staffers stayed in a downtown hotel with rooms overlooking Blue Jays games, despite a $7.6 million budget deficit. The trip was first reported by the London Free Press.
Unions facing cuts and parents who are increasingly being told to send their kids with Kleenex and other essentials because of budget cutbacks were left fuming at the news. Fisher said such retreats are "industry standard" and have been happening for years.
Fisher later said executives will no longer take such trips in the future.
Questions about the leave of absence to the TVDSB communications manager were referred to the chair of the board of trustees, Beth Mai, who has not returned calls, emails and texts from CBC News.
"The Board of Trustees will be meeting later today to appoint an Acting Director of Education who will be in place to provide leadership for the system while the Board conducts a broader search for an Interim Director of Education," the school board posted on their website.
"Day-to-day school board operations will continue as planned and this will not impact the incredible teaching and learning taking place in Thames Valley classrooms."
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