Help Carol Ann Sloat Fight for Local Democracy

Carol Ann Sloat has represented the people of Brantford as a public school board trustee since 2003, and in that time she has built close and productive connections with countless other trustees, administrators, teachers, students and community members. But as many of you know, she has found herself in a David vs Goliath fight against the Grand Erie District School Board. Her fight is about you, the voters who have sent her to the board table for 6 consecutive terms, and your right to know what is happening at the school board.

The fight started when a group of trustees at the board kept meeting behind closed doors to discuss things that should have been open to the public. Carol Ann objected and brought the matter to the provincial Ombudsman. In retaliation, she was sanctioned under the code of conduct for having the courage to blow the whistle. When she pushed back and stood up for transparency, there was another code of conduct sanction, and another, and another, each one more ridiculous than the last. For over a year, she was prevented from doing the job that she'd been elected to do. She asked for mediation, and the board flat-out rejected her.

When a trustee faces an abuse of process like this, their only recourse is to go to court. And recently, the Ontario Divisional Court heard Carol Ann's case, and the judges unanimously agreed that the Board's decisions were "unintelligible and unreasonable", and that she had been "unfairly dealt with and unfairly targeted". This was clear vindication for her cause, but the Board has publicly stated that they have more punishments lined up anyway. They've given no indication that they're ever going to stop. They probably hope that she'll get tired (or go bankrupt), and stop fighting for her constituents.

The school board is playing this game with house money. None of the people at the board leading the charge against Carol Ann have spent a penny of their own. Instead, they’re using your tax dollars - money that's supposed to go to the students.

We need your help to make sure that she can keep fighting for as long as it takes. Each new accusation requires a new legal fight, and the Board can use millions of taxpayer dollars to finance that fight. All Carol Ann has is her retirement savings, and the support of people like you.

The people of Brantford deserve to have their chosen representatives at the board table.

Any donation is appreciated, but perhaps you might want to mark Carol Ann's 68th birthday, earlier this month, with a $68 donation.

Thank you.

Links

Court quashes four sanctions against Grand Erie School Board trustee Sloat: Brantford Expositor (November 15th)

Grand Erie school board doubles down on trustee sanctions: Hamilton Spectator (June 26th)

Sloat v Grand Erie District School Board: Ontario Divisional Court Decision