WRDSB trustee being investigated for a code of conduct breach

The Waterloo Region District School Board  is no stranger to controversy and alleged breaches in its code of conduct.

On July 31, a WRDSB trustee announced he is being investigated for a second time in what the school board is calling a conduct investigation of a Trustee. 

"We can confirm that there is an active code of conduct investigation of a Trustee," said Joanne Weston, chair of the WRDSB of trustees in a press release. "The investigation involves one or more Waterloo Region District School Board employees so it has to be treated as an in camera item."

The individual or individuals under investigation were not named in the release, but soon after receiving the notice of the investigation, controversial board trustee, Mike Ramsay was quick to confirm it was him. 

"The school trustee game of thrones continues," said Ramsay in a statement he released on social media. "This complaint is about something I supposedly said in meetings and on a radio show years ago.”

Weston adds in her statement that until the Ministry of Education establishes new rules for school board codes of conduct, the policies that school boards have in place remain in effect and must be followed.

"We will continue to uphold the Board’s bylaws and policies and to act in accordance with the Board’s obligations under the Education Act," said Weston. 

In a series of social media posts, Ramsay calls the board a group of radical left NDP trustees who's investigation is meritless. 

"Folks, discussion of how we address the impact of the Pandemic on learning, and parental concerns about ideology and other issues, can't be guided solely by the wisdom of Ontario NDP affiliated Trustees. Accepting the results of the 2022 election is a start," wrote Ramsay. 

This is not the first time Ramsay has been investigated by the board for breaches in it's code of conduct. 

In June 2022, Ramsay was suspended from participating in board meetings for three months after a report from the integrity commissioner found him in violation of the code of conduct. 

The investigation concluded that Ramsay breached the code of conduct through social media posts and public positions after the board decided to stop a presentation about the age-appropriateness of library materials from former teacher, Carolyn Burjoski’s at a Jan. 17, 2022 meeting. 

Ramsay is currently taking the school board to court to argue his suspension was unjust.