Integrity report recommends sanctions for college trustee Kaplan-Myrth

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Ottawa’s largest college board will likely be considering whether or not to use code of conduct sanctions to a trustee who accused a colleague of “having it out for me since Day 1” at a public assembly on Sept. 11.

In a report back to be tabled at an Ottawa-Carleton District Faculty Board assembly on Tuesday, board integrity commissioner Suzanne Craig outlined her investigation and findings on complaints about three trustees below the board’s code of donduct.

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“This inquiry raises plenty of important and urgent points concerning the function of college board trustees, the way and extent to which they might carry out their mandated oversight duties and conduct themselves, categorical their views and make selections in the midst of finishing up their official duties,” Craig wrote.

Two complaints had been filed after a particular board assembly Sept. 11 leading to investigations into actions and statements by trustees Nili Kaplan-Myrth, Donna Blackburn and Donna Dickson.

In her 185-page report, Craig concluded that Blackburn and Dickson didn’t breach the code of conduct, however Kaplan-Myrth had.

In a single discovering, Craig mentioned Kaplan-Myrth, who has been the goal of antisemitic demise threats, violated the code of conduct when she ignored a safety plan developed by college employees and went to make an announcement to reporters in a glass-enclosed room behind council chambers after the Sept. 11 assembly.

“In so doing, Trustee Kaplan-Myrth undermined the work of employees who had diligently labored to create a secure location for her,” Craig wrote.

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Craig dominated Kaplan-Myrth had by way of social-media posts engaged in conduct that “discredits and compromises the integrity of the board and has contributed to battle fairly than decision of points together with her trustee colleagues.”

In a single publish, Kaplan-Myrth mentioned the code of conduct was “a option to attempt to silence progressives. What a bloody waste of cash, time, and power.”

Kaplan-Myrth didn’t make any effort to de-escalate the battle together with her colleagues, Craig wrote.

“On the contrary, she escalated the battle together with her behaviour performed out on social media posts. Trustee Kaplan-Myrth, as every trustee, has a proper to share her opinion and take part on social media, she has a proper to name out and denounce racism, antisemitism and all types of discrimination, oppression and hate. Nevertheless, disparaging the Code and the Code course of isn’t acceptable criticism.”

The background to the investigation goes again to November 2022, when Kaplan-Myrth, a household doctor and rookie trustee, was in search of help for a brief masks mandate in faculties. When Dickson was reluctant to help her movement, Kaplan-Myrth urged Dickson, who’s Black, to not aspect with “white supremacists.”

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That prompted a code of conduct investigation of Kaplan Myrth. On the Sept. 11 assembly, she was not present in breach of the code even thought the vast majority of trustees — seven of 12 — voted to seek out her in violation. 4 trustees abstained. Below board coverage, eight of 12 trustee votes are required to discover a code of conduct violation. 

Kaplan-Myrth was permitted to attend the Sept. 11 public assembly, however to not make feedback. She later argued that, since she was barred from an in digital camera assembly previous to the general public assembly, she couldn’t have identified this.

On the public assembly, Blackburn mentioned Kaplan-Myrth was a “white girl attacking a Black girl,” a reference to Dickson.

Kaplan-Myrth interrupted Blackburn. “I object. You’ll not characterize me as a white girl. I’m a Jewish girl who has acquired day by day antisemitic demise threats for standing up for well being and security. You’ve been out to get me from Day 1.”

Lyra Evans, then chair of the board, muted Kaplan-Myrth’s microphone, however her feedback had been captured and the outburst was posted on social media.

Kaplan-Myrth later made an announcement to reporters within the media room. Blackburn adopted her to that room and refused to go away as Kaplan-Myrth shouted: “Out! Out! Out! Out!”

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Craig discovered that Kaplan-Myrth was disrespectful and intimidating in her feedback and behavior towards Blackburn and a few people within the media room.

“It was unclear why Trustee Kaplan-Myrth felt her media interviews ought to take priority over these of different trustees. If her concern was for her security, she had been offered a devoted secure area,” Craig’s report mentioned.

Craig has interviewed 19 witnesses, together with employees and trustees, reviewed public and confidential board paperwork, video and audio recordings of board conferences and minutes of in-camera board conferences in addition to emails, social-media posts and media interviews.

“There was an awesome sentiment of sorrow for her circumstance attributable to the unconscionable hate messages she has acquired and continues to obtain,” Craig wrote. “Nevertheless, witnesses with whom I spoke expressed their reticence to ‘have interaction together with her,’ due partly to what has been described as Trustee Kaplan-Myrth’s risky character.” 

One witness instructed Craig: “She’s like a wounded chicken, however then she snaps at you.” 

One other mentioned: “I need to wrap my arms round her and defend her, however then she activates me.” 

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Trustees have the appropriate to talk with the media and to provide interviews so long as they don’t maintain themselves out as talking on behalf of the board or make statements which are demeaning or disparaging, Craig wrote.

By interrupting Blackburn and shouting, “You’ve had it out for me since Day 1,” Kaplan-Myrth made a private and demeaning assertion, Craig present in her report.

In her response to the grievance, Kaplan-Myrth mentioned she thought of Blackburn’s assertion to be racist.

In response, Craig wrote there have been permitted procedures for a trustee to make use of once they had been offended or believed themselves to be victimized, belittled, intimidated, harassed or discriminated in opposition to.

“The way in which ahead is to not shout, publish on social media or personally assault others.”

Undoubtedly, Kaplan-Myrth has acquired hurtful, hateful, and vile communications on social media from each identified and nameless sources, Craig wrote. “Nevertheless, the truth that some trustees might disagree with Trustee Kaplan-Myrth on issues that come earlier than the board mustn’t end in her directing anger at her trustee colleagues.”

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After the integrity commissioner’s report and responses are tabled on Tuesday, the board is to determine whether or not to use sanctions to Kaplan-Myrth.

Craig’s suggestions embrace that the board discover Kaplan-Myrth violated the code of conduct and bar her from attending the subsequent assembly and any others for a time frame deemed acceptable by the board.

She additionally suggested participating a mediator to work with trustees to “overcome the problems of dysfunction and mistrust that underlie the grievance,” rising safeguards for all trustees and enhancing measures to defend Kaplan-Myrth from hate mail and demise threats by way of college board servers.

On Thursday, Kaplan-Myrth filed a grievance with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. “She is entitled to take action,” Craig mentioned.

In her software to the human rights tribunal, Kaplan-Myrth alleged she had been subjected to antisemitic remedy after she spoke out about masking in faculties and the rights of transgender college students, however fellow trustees and senior board leaders had dismissed the gravity of the state of affairs. 

In an interview on Saturday, Kaplan-Myrth mentioned she was portrayed within the code of conduct report as an issue in a system that was poisonous lengthy earlier than she was there. There was bias and inherent antisemitism all through the report, she mentioned.

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“Referring to me as white is racist. I’m a Jewish girl,” Kaplan-Myrth mentioned.

“They’re disqualifying my voice as a Jewish girl. It dismisses the seriousness of the antisemitism. It performs into the trope that Jews aren’t a legitimate equity-seeking group.”

Kaplan-Myrth mentioned she wouldn’t be attending Tuesday’s assembly in particular person as a result of she feared for her life after receiving the demise threats.

“I can’t put myself in hurt’s approach.”

Blackburn declined to remark Saturday, saying she would communicate after the board decided.

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