Protesters speak out as controversial York school board trustee sworn in
Protesters crowded into the Aurora auditorium where York Region District School Board trustee Elizabeth Terrell-Tracey was sworn in Monday evening.
Terrell-Tracey unleashed a storm of controversy when a comment posted from her Facebook account during the election campaign called attention to the birthplace of her opponent, Lena Singh.
"I would like to inform people… Just so you know… Ms. Singh was born in Guyana," the post reads. "You are backing someone not born in Canada."
The protesters, one carrying a Guyanese flag, filled the front of the auditorium to decry the fact that Terrell-Tracey had not been required to step down.
"I don't want my children to be in the same school as her … I don't want them around her bigotry," said parent Julie Stevens.
Terrell-Tracey resigned, then reconsidered
Terrell-Tracey has apologized for the post but has also said she was the victim of a Facebook hack.
Her account had also sent a private message to a community member who had endorsed her opponent, writing that "crime is prevalent across Guyana ... she is born there."
In the aftermath of the comments coming to light, Terrell-Tracey had resigned as trustee-elect, but then later reconsidered.
Despite acknowledging last month that Terrell-Tracey's election had led to a loss of public confidence in the board, the YRDSB said no mechanism exists to compel her to step down.
In the Aurora auditorium, Stevens called on the board to lobby the province to amend the Education Act to extend the code of conduct to trustee-elects.
Later, board chair Corrie McBain addressed the room, saying that while the board "strongly denounces the comments," she was "confident in the mechanisms we have in place to safeguard … equity and inclusion."
A 'history' of racism
Charline Grant was also present Monday night. Grant was called the "n-word" by York trustee Nancy Elgie, who has since stepped down.
"This board has a history of having racist trustees," said Grant. "What's happened here is disgraceful."
A subsequent review by the province following Elgie's comment determined the board was operating under a "culture of fear" and "systemic discrimination."
