London Free Press

School board travel scandals: Critic blasts ‘never-ending’ spending woes

5 min read

A raft of out-of-town – even overseas – trips by school board trustees or officials across Southwestern Ontario have rattled taxpayers and sparked deep reviews by Ontario’s education ministry. Two more cases became public in the past two days, and one long-time critic of the provincial education system believes it’s time for drastic changes. “I […]

London Free Press

School board boss clamps down on executives’ spending after $38K retreat scandal

3 min read

The region’s largest school board has introduced a new screening process for staff seeking professional development activities in the wake of a Toronto travel scandal that led to a large-scale provincial audit. The Thames Valley District school board came under fire in late August when The Free Press uncovered a three-day retreat by 18 administrators at […]

London Free Press

What’s driving spike in ‘anti-social’ conduct in London-area classrooms?

3 min read

Disturbing behaviour by students in London-area school classrooms are at all-time high, according to Thames Valley District school board’s top official. Bill Tucker, the London-based board’s interim education director, spoke bluntly to trustees this week about what’s happening with students – including a child in his own family – as young people struggle to overcome […]

London Free Press

Ex-principals join top ranks amid Thames Valley school board upheaval

5 min read

Three former principals are joining the top ranks of the troubled Thames Valley District school board after two senior officials took leaves of absence and another exited following a travel scandal that sparked a provincial audit. The three-day August retreat by 18 senior staff members of the cash-strapped school board, Ontario’s fourth-biggest, included first-class train […]