Trustee suspects coverup, asks for provincial probe

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This article was published 20/09/2014 (4100 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg School Division trustee Mike Babinsky has asked Education Minister James Allum to investigate the division’s alleged “altering of public records to conceal and hide issues and facts.”

Babinsky made the extraordinary demand Friday due to the way he said the division has handled transportation issues and numerous cases he has raised of children stranded at bus stops for long periods of time in freezing conditions last winter.

Babinsky told Allum the division did not publicly post a notice of motion Babinsky made publicly in June.

On June 2, Babinsky filed a notice of motion, the necessary step to have trustees debate at the June 16 meeting his motion “That the Winnipeg School Division investigate and if necessary apply (disciplinary) action to all involved who put the safety of our students at risk and/or did not follow the Public School Act in regards to transporting Winnipeg School Division students to and from schools.”

The motion was heard in a behind-closed-doors session of the board, where it was defeated.

Babinsky said he never intended to discuss individuals by name, and there was no reason to invoke privacy provisions for discussing personnel matters.

He wants Allum to investigate why his motion never appeared in the public minutes of the meeting and why there wasn’t any reference in public minutes to its defeat.

Babinsky told Allum WSD misuses privacy matters. “The excuse of having possible concerns of FIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) have been used in the Winnipeg School Division to hide issues and facts from the public, and a way to sweep things under the rug.”

Babinsky also wants Allum to investigate bus-related matters the Free Press reported earlier this week.

Babinsky wants the minister to find out how WSD bought 21 new replacement school buses this year, and how the board decided, behind closed doors, to award school bus drivers a two-dollar-an-hour raise after WSD ended its contracting-out agreement with private bus operator First Student Canada.

Babinsky, a 19-year board veteran whose colleagues have never appointed him as board chairman or chairman of a significant committee, is one of three incumbents seeking re-election.

Board chairwoman Suzanne Hrynyk, who is running for city council in the Oct. 22 election, declined Friday to comment on Babinsky’s letter to Allum.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca