VICTORIA, B.C.: The Greater Victoria School District board of trustees, fired by the province in January 2025, has been reinstated, not as the result of sound policy or legal merit, but because the BC NDP government failed to comply with a court-ordered document disclosure. The board was removed by Education Minister Lisa Beare in January 2025 after it cancelled its school police liaison program and failed to provide an adequate safety plan replacement. The trustees challenged their firing in court. When the Ministry failed to produce court-ordered documents until two days before trial, the province had no choice but to withdraw its case entirely, reinstate the board, and cover legal fees and backpay.

Lynne Block, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano and Critic for Education, says the Ministry of Education’s incompetence on this file has undermined public trust in BC’s education system. “British Columbians expect basic competence from their government. The NDP cannot even manage a simple court filing. Taxpayers are now paying the price for that failure,” said Block.

“Nine trustees were removed from office. Eight days of court time were booked. Lawyers were hired on both sides,” said Block. ” The Minister still cannot tell British Columbians how much her Ministry’s ineptitude is going to cost them. If the NDP cannot manage a basic administrative task, how can British Columbians trust them to manage the education of this province’s children?”

The Justice presiding over Monday’s hearing said the court had “no hesitation” concluding the Ministry was aware of the production order and failed to comply. When the documents were finally produced, they revealed senior Ministry officials had been in direct communication with Victoria Police about the trustees and the safety plan process, casting serious doubt on the Ministry’s claim that the delay was accidental.

With the trustees back in office and the underlying dispute unresolved, students and parents are left in limbo. “School police liaisons play a critical role in keeping students safe and supporting positive outcomes in the classroom. Instead of resolving the issue, the NDP’s incompetence has pushed it further into uncertainty,” said Block.

“We are calling on this government to implement a province-wide framework for school police liaison officers that strengthens school safety, supports positive student outcomes, ensures responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and reinforces the accountability of elected school trustees to parents, students, and constituents.”

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Media Contact:
Francesca Guetchev, Press Secretary
Francesca.Guetchev@leg.bc.ca
+1 (672) 922-0948