Four local school boards say they’re not disobeying provincial orders to cap the pay of their top employees.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that 21 of Ontario’s 75 school boards had increased the salaries of their directors of education in 2013, despite the province imposing a wage freeze on all workers in the public sector.
Those 21 included the Toronto District School Board, where Donna Quan was hired as director of education with a salary of $289,000 – $17,000 more than her predecessor.
Education Minister Liz Sandals waded into that battle, saying the wage freeze should be enforced, but trustees voted Monday night to keep her at the higher salary.
“I’ve asked my ministry to look into that,” Sandals told reporters Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Waterloo Region District School Board said the salary of the WRDSB director of education had not risen since the freeze was implemented.
“Our practice … has been to comply with the legislation and to freeze the salaries of all those that are captured by the legislation,” Mark Schinkel told CTV News.
The Upper Grand District School Board, Avon-Maitland District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board likewise said they are in compliance with the wage freeze.
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board did not respond before this story was published.
