A clarification from the LBPSB

Please allow me to clarify the position of the LBPSB regarding the statements you made in the editorial regarding the EMSB’s court challenge on Bill 96 as there is always more than one side to a point of view. I take issue, in particular, with your concluding remarks: “Anything less is cowardice and submission.” You suggest that the LBPSB is “standing on the sidelines” and that we are “opportunistically waiting for results before committing."

Bill 96, now law 14, is an omnibus piece of legislation that other Anglophone institutions are more than welcome to mount a legal challenge against should they have the means to do so. As I did not have an opportunity to discuss this topic with you beforehand, I need to point out that what you have overlooked in your argument is that English school boards in Quebec, and there are nine, have to make difficult choices in the stewardship of our limited resources in providing exemplary educational services for our students. This is not a question of support for Bill 96 challenges or not, including the one the EMSB has taken on, but it is an issue of what the most important challenges are within the school board, first, before we step outside of that mandate to commit significant resources to a court challenge, like that of Bill 96. It was the EMSB’s decision, within its powers of management and control, to make that choice. Ours is to focus on the court challenge and potential appeal to Bill 40, while at the same time maintaining our allyship with the English community through educating our students to the best of our ability in preparing them for their future and educational success. Please note a resolution passed by the LBPSB Council of Commissioners regarding Bill 96 in September 2022 which outlines our support, in principle, for court challenges to Bill 96:

2022-09_Council_Item_3.03_RES_Statement Regarding Bill 96.pdf

Respectfully,

Judy Kelley

Chair of the LBPSB