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Calgary Board of Education under
fire over rookie trustee's attendance
record
By TREVOR HOWELL StarMetro Calgary
Tues., July 3, 2o18
labourpublic school board enforce its
policies after attendance records show a rookie trustee has skipped more than one-thirl
of all board meetings since he wasL I
The records, obtained by the Calgary and District Labour Council (CDLC) through
Freedom of Information request, show Mike Bradshaw missed 26 Of 71 of meeting-]
r... ■n Oct. 30, 2017
r12, 2018.
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7/4/2018
Calgary Board of Education under fire over rookie trustee's attendance record I The Star
-Mike Bradshaw, Calgary Board of Education trustee for Wards 12 and
14. (ELECTIONS CALGARY)
The document shows Bradshaw bowed out of committee and in -camera sessions, but
attended all public board meetings.
United Conservative Party nomination in Calgary -Bow — less than nine months after she
was elected to office at the CBE.
Alex Shevalier, president of the CDLC, pointed to CBE board policies requiring trustees
to be "adequately prepared" for meetings and to "exercise prudent personal discipline in
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7/4/2018 Calgary Board of Education under fire over rookie trustee's attendance record I The Star
the performance oft eir duties."
"They have a member who is missing 37 per cent of the meetings, and, as far as I can tell,
nothing was being done about it," said Shevalier. "They're simply accepting that one of
their members was choosing not to participate fully.
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CBE trustee Lisa Davis to seek UCP nomination in Calgary -Bow
Group calls for CBE trustee to resign after signalling intention to run in UCP nomination
race
CBE trustees are paid $45,000 a year, with Hurdman receiving an extra honorarium of
$1o,000 as chair, and vice -chair Marilyn Dennis an additional $5,000. Trustees are also
eligible for an annual taxable transportation allowance Of $4,20o, and up to $2,000 for
professional development. E
Barbara Silva, communications director with the advocacy group Support Our Students
Alberta, said school board trustees risk alienating voters if they aren't willing to hold
each other accountable.
"Part of the onus is on the CBE to uphold its policies and sanction trustees who don't
meet their obligationssaid Silva. "Part of the onus is on citizens to start electing people
who they feel are there for the right reasons and the students."
In 2013, the Alberta School Boards Association issued a report urging trustees to
emphasize their role as local officials "elected by, and accountable to, their local
communities."
The relevancy of trustees has been questioned since the mid-199os when the Alberta
government stripped school boards of taxation authority.
Silva criticized Bradshaw and his colleagues for remaining silent on his questionable
attendance record.
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7/4/2018 Calgary Board of Education under fire over rookie trustee's attendance record I The Star
I know part of their governance is always to put the board of trustees in a united light,"
said Silva. "But there is also an obligation to represent the students and the constituents.
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Trevor Howell is an urban affairs reporter with StarMetro Calgary. Follow him on Twitter: @tshowell
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