Non-Catholics okay on school councils, trustees decide

The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board has decided to reverse its decision from earlier this year prohibiting non-Catholic representation on parent councils.

"As a result of media attention to the issue," Education Director John Stadnyk told the board, "It came to my attention that there was a section of the [Education Act], regulation 612/2000, 2 (1), that says parent councils must be open to all parents."

Stadnyk said that a representative of the Ontario Catholic School Trustee Association contacted him to tell him about the regulation.

As reported by SooToday.com last June, Trustee Grace Tridico was voted down when she asked the board to amend a policy governing membership in parent councils to allow one non-Catholic member on each council.

The issue was brought back to the board on Wednesday night.

"I am pleased to see that you've gone ahead and revised this policy," commented Trustee Tridico. "It truly demonstrates that our school board is an inclusive environment and isn't discriminatory."

Trustee Kathleen Rosalius, who was strongly opposed to the inclusion of non-Catholics in parent councils during the June debate, asked to see a copy of the legislation and said that she was not aware of it when the policy came before the board in the summer.