Chris Clegg
South Peace News
A Peace River area school trustee is back in his chair after Court of King’s Bench ruled June 11 that Peace River School Division erred in its decision to disqualify him.
Ward 4 trustee Moise Dion is back serving on the PRSD board of trustees after Justice Eleanor J. Funk ruled the board’s decision was disproportionate and the board erred in law.
Board chair Crystal Owens issued a statement through PRSD. She acknowledged the court’s decision but did not admit fault or apologize for the error.
“The Peace River School Division board of trustees acknowledges the recent decision by the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta regarding trustee Moise Dion. We respect the court’s role in this matter and we take these findings seriously and will be reflecting on them as we move forward.
“It is important for our community to understand that the board’s decisions are always made with the best interests of our students, staff, and the integrity of our governance in mind,” Ownes adds.
“This particular matter arose from a series of documented concerns regarding trustee Dion’s conduct.”
She adds PRSD strives to maintain a safe and respectable environment for everyone and is committed to upholding its code of conduct.
“Moving forward, our focus remains on providing excellent education for our students and ensuring a positive and effective working environment for all our staff and fellow trustees, including Dion,” Owens concludes.
Dion was scheduled to return to the board meeting June 19.