The Canadian School Boards Association sounded the alarm Wednesday about the Quebec government's plan to do away with school board elections.
The school boards say the elections protect minority language rights in Quebec and in other provinces.
Clashes between the government and the boards are looming.
On Wednesday, David D’Aoust, president of the Quebec English School Boards Association, said he was ready to “let battle to begin.” The group has hired a noted constitutional lawyer in preparation for a legal challenge.
The Canadian School boards Association and the Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones travelled to Quebec City to show their support for Quebec school boards.
The boards say their elected officials play an essential role, which is independent from the government and able to directly represent what parents want for their children.
The EMSB sent out Robocalls Wednesday night to all parents in the board, stressing the important role they feel they play.
The message was recorded by school board chair Angela Mancini and director general Ann Marie Matheson.
In it, they said:
"You may have heard that our education minister is thinking of abolishing the school board elections, but then, who would ensure the rights of our English community?"
They invited parents to review a brief written by members of the board published on their website.
School board voter turnout, however, would indicate parents aren’t showing much concern over the matter.
Voter participation rate in the last school board elections was just 5 per cent for the French boards and about 17 per cent for the English boards. The Couillard government said the elections called the elections a waste of $20 million.
The school boards worry that if the government replaces the elected commissioners with appointed members, there will be a lack of independence.
“Those people will be reporting more directly to the minister and can you see them saying no we don’t agree with this when they're appointed and they have to have the approval of the minister to sit on whatever councils they sit on,” said D’Aoust.
Education Minister Francois Blais is not divulging his plans, but insists it will improve the system for parents.
“Our intention is not to abolish school boards, it's to change democracy and give more power for parents,” said Blais.
Blais pointed out that Canada's constitution guarantees minority language groups the right to control and manage their local education systems.
The government is expected to reveal its exact plans for the boards this fall.
