Ontario school trustees are giving some Tory candidates an F for failing to sign up for special debates on education to be held Sept. 20 across the province.

At least four Toronto District School Board trustees say their local Progressive Conservative candidates are refusing to take part in all-candidates’ meetings on education — despite the debates being announced last May by the provincial trustee association — and at least six more Toronto trustees say Tory candidates are the only ones they have been unable to nail down.

Toronto trustee Howard Goodman first suggested the special province-wide meetings, since endorsed by the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, and said he is surprised he has been unable to confirm PC candidate Rocco Rossi (Eglinton-Lawrence) for the panel, despite having approached him weeks ago.

“There seems to be a timidity and reluctance on the part of some PC candidates to take part in these debates and I can’t understand why; my ward alone has nearly 16,000 parents who are voters and a no-show at an education debate would be an embarrassment and a political liability,” said Goodman on Sunday.

Trustee Shelley Laskin said she is “deeply disappointed” that Progressive Conservative candidate Christine McGirr (St. Paul’s) has declined to take part, citing another engagement which she did not specify.

“I’m surprised they have a conflict since we did notify the St. Paul’s Conservatives July 7 of this event,” said Laskin, noting the Liberal and NDP candidates have both agreed.

McGirr's spokesperson Steven Cooke told the Star Sunday, “It is not possible for Christine to attend every one of the many debate invitations she has received with such a limited amount of time before October 6. He added, “she has asked us to ensure her schedule allows her to attend the debate that is the most accessible to the families of our community and provides the best opportunity to address a wide range of issues important to everyone.”

Similarly, trustee Pamela Gough said she is “hugely disappointed” so-called star candidate Simon Nyilassy (Etobicoke-Lakeshore) turned down an invitation to be on the panel in her riding. Gough said Nyilassy suggested it wasn’t a subject he knew a great deal about.

“Education is the second-largest line in the provincial budget and a major responsibility of the provincial budget, and this is a chance to move it from the back seat it often takes to health issues,” said Gough.

Trustee Stephnie Payne said the Tory candidate in her riding, broadcaster Karlene Nation (York West) also declined to take part in the debate.

Scarborough trustee Jerry Chadwick said PC candidate Kevin Gaudet (Pickering-Scarborough East) also turned down the request, citing another all-candidate meeting the day before and a televised debate the week before. However both the Liberal and NDP candidates are taking part in all three. Chadwick said this is a “non-partisan event, designed only to help people understand educational issues and make an informed choice when voting Oct. 6.”

Not all Toronto Tories are dodging the debate; the PCs will be taking part in education panels held by trustees Chris Bolton (Trinity-Spadina) and Howard Kaplan (York Centre).

In Kitchener-Waterloo, PC Education Critic Elizabeth Witmer has expressed interest in attending the debate, noted Catherine Fife, president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association.

School trustees across the province have been setting up all-candidate debates Sept. 20 on education as a way to boost the profile of the issue. In Peel, no Conservative candidates have agreed to trustees’ requests to take part in the debates, although the Liberals have not been much better, said Jeff Sprang of the Ontario Public School Trustees Association.

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“We would expect more enthusiasm and respect for public education, considering how important it is; we spend roughly $20 billion on education in this province.”

Alan Sakach, director of communications for the Ontario PC party, said “Our candidates make their own decisions on debate attendance based on time availability and other commitments. Candidates get a tremendous number of invitations for debates, meetings and town halls, and balance those requests with the need to door knock and canvass in their riding. Obviously they can’t make it to every event — there’s just not enough time.”