After multiple threats to school, Halton trustees debate draft professionalism policy

After multiple threats made against an Oakville High School in recent months brought on by a controversy over a teacher's appearance, Halton District School Board (HDSB) trustees discussed a draft professionalism policy at a meeting Wednesday night — but some questioned the merits of a policy that contained no new information, and seemingly lacked defined enforcement objectives.

"Right now, the community sees us as not being up to the job," said Trustee Naveed Ahmed, adding that there are no clear expectations from a policy that amounts to a collection of existing expectations and professional standards.

"The scope of this policy is left to anybody's interpretation. The scope is completely open, anyone can interpret this in any way. It's not very specific, it's not precise, and it doesn't speak to the outcome," he said.

Oakville Trafalgar High School has received multiple threats resulting in police investigations. Police previously said threats have referred to a recent controversy at the school surrounding a teacher leading a shop class wearing what appear to be large prosthetic breasts. The situation has since garnered international media attention.

A HDSB spokesperson confirmed Thursday that the teacher is "not currently on active assignment," but remains employed.

Hadeon MacKillop, a student at the school, told CBC Toronto that it can get stressful hearing about announcements or investigations into threats like these.

"Sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming, but you've just got to realize that a lot of people don't have anything better to do and [these are] just empty threats," he said.

Collective bargaining making impact

MacKillop also said he believes that a dress code for teachers would help the situation.

"If students have to follow those rules, I think teachers should as well," he said. "That's what I think the main problem is, not anything to do with [transgender] issues, it's just the dress code."

Lynn Petruskavich, who gave a delegation at the meeting, said the community is imploring trustees to "hold our institutions to account, and enforce longstanding policies and practices that centre student wellbeing and parental rights."

But Sari Taha, superintendent of education, said Wednesday evening that the board is operating under the constraints of ongoing collective bargaining with education worker unions. Until new collective agreements are reached, working conditions can't be altered, he said.

A 'composite of existing rights'

That means the draft policy outlines "existing expectations" and "existing professional standards.

"This policy is a composite of existing rights, if I can term it that way," he said.

"It's a new document that we have developed, but its content is not new."

The school board also launched an online survey to garner community feedback about the draft policy on Feb. 24. It is slated to close on March 12, but had garnered over 4,300 responses by Wednesday evening, the meeting heard.

Curtis Ennis, director of education, said the board is "quite pleased" with the response rate so far.

He also said that recent threats against students, schools and staff have been "distressing and heartbreaking.

"It is deeply upsetting for our entire community to watch as some individuals continue to threaten the very students they claim to stand for," Ennis said. "We can disagree, but to threaten students and schools is simply unacceptable."