New Brunswick’s education minister says he will ask a court to dissolve the Anglophone East District Education Council (DEC).

It is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between the minister and the elected council over the province’s gender identity policy in schools.

The Moncton-area DEC is taking the province to court over controversial changes made to Policy 713, arguing they are discriminatory and endanger students.

Under the updated policy, teachers are no longer allowed to use a trans or non-binary child under 16’s preferred name or pronoun, formally or informally, without parental consent.

Education Minister Bill Hogan gave the DEC until 5 p.m. Thursday to “remedy the situation” or he would take steps to have it dissolved.

“I have made it clear that I believe the leadership of the Anglophone East District Education Council is using funds in an irresponsible manner,” Hogan said in a statement to reporters.

“For example, they are diverting almost $300,000 from classrooms to Ontario-based lawyers to file a motion to fight the rights of parents to be informed about their kids under 16.

“Given the response received from the DEC, they have left me no options but to commence the process for dissolution of the Anglophone East DEC.”

It will be up to a judge to decide whether to approve the minister’s request to have the council dissolved.

The district education council declined to comment on the matter.