Dept. of Education says board members weren't fired, can't sue

By Maggie Rahr

They had to be fired to finally form a united front.

Most of the 13 former members of the Halifax Regional School Board are singing the same tune when it comes to lawsuits and stipends. More than half are considering legal retaliation after the minister of education's surprise decision on Tuesday to remove every single one of them.

Former board chairman Gary O'Hara says the minister does not have the right to 'fire' him. Colleague Wade Marshall says they're being treated like criminals - and the only people who can fire elected officials are voters. But the department of education says no-one's really been fired. Spokesman Peter McLaughlin tells the Daily News that minister Karen Casey is acting legally under the Education Act-- by relieving the 13 members of responsibilities and authorities.

One member - Dartmouth representative Gin Yee, says he isn't taking part in any wrongful dismissal lawsuit because it will only divert more attention from education. Yee adds it's not fair to taxpayers for him to continue to accept a stipend - and from now on, he'll donate any stipend funds he receives back to the board.

A decision on the money, totaling $130,000 will be made by the department of education, the regional school board and the Nova Scotia School Boards Association in the coming days.

Source: News 95.7 Halifax, December 21, 2006
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