Legal action will be taken by the Anglophone East District Education Council, against proposed changes removing decision-making from DEC’s

A new Education Act was introduced in the legislative assembly earlier this month that the government claims will make the public education system more accountable and responsive to the needs of children, families, and communities. through improvements to its governance structure.

In the Anglophone sector, District Education Councils would change from a decision-making body to an advisory body under this new Act.

Vice-Chair for the Anglophone East DEC Ian Hebblethwaite introduced a motion in support of legal action to challenge the changes, “It’s about local representation and the government is currently proposing to remove that. This could affect French immersion, where there won’t be a DEC to stand in the way of that. It could affect school closures. There won’t be a DEC to stand in the way of that in the future. It could affect numerous other issues that we haven’t even seen yet. The DEC is the closest thing that parents have to their voice being heard and the government is trying to remove that. I think it’s not only important, I think it’s critical that we take these steps.”

Members voted unanimously in favour of the motion to take legal action.

The DEC also plans to make a formal request to the government to reimburse Anglophone East for the costs of the legal challenge.

In the Francophone sector, district education councils will retain their existing authorities as per Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which grants the Francophone community the right of management and control as it relates to educational governance.