Brantford-area teachers’ union calls for trustees to resign after Italy trip backlash

A lavish publicly-funded July trip to Italy to purchase artwork for high schools is not going away for four Brantford school trustees as their union calls for their resignations.

In an open letter to the trustees, the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (BHN OECTA) says the union is asking the men to step down.

Acting unit president Carlo Fortino called on the members to resign, saying the “decision was not made lightly” and their actions have “weakened the essential trust that their members, students, parents … and staff have in the trustees.”

“As time has progressed there have been more revelations, which are obviously quite concerning to my membership and members of the community,” Fortino said in an interview with CHCH News.

He added that Ontario’s Ministry of Education “did promise to make a review and, yet, since that promise was made, we have not heard of anything being done.”

READ MORE: Brant Catholic trustees face backlash over $145K art trip to Italy

In July, Rick Petrella, school board chair, and three others — Dan Dignard, Bill Chopp and Mark Watson — went to South Tyrol, where they purchased $100,000 worth of custom art for two new high schools.

Fortino wrote directly in the letter to the trustees that the inappropriate spending has “significantly eroded confidence in [their] ability to make sound, responsible decisions that reflect the needs and values of our school community.”

The letter also stated that $45,000 in travel expenses was incurred with “little transparency,” and that $1,600 was spent on a dinner out.

Some students and parents called the trip an “abuse of power,” stating the monies could have been put to use elsewhere in the schools.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton Spectator has reported that the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board’s education director Mike McDonald says he did not approve any expenses on the Italy trip, despite his signature being on the form.

The BHN OECTA represents 1,000 elementary, secondary and occasional teachers who teach in publicly funded English Catholic schools.