Just four months on the job, and he’s already looking for a new one.

Neethan Shan, a newly elected trustee on the Toronto District School Board, will run under the NDP banner in the MPP race in Scarborough-Rouge River — a seat that became vacant with Liberal Bas Balkissoon’s sudden resignation from provincial politics.

When Shan ran in a trustee byelection held in January, his opponents accused him of not being committed to the board and simply seeking any political seat, given he’s run for different levels of office seven times since 2003. He was elected once before, as trustee in York Region in 2006.

However, less than a year on the job there, he took a leave to run, unsuccessfully, for MPP in Scarborough, and then returned to the board.

He told the Star once the provincial byelection is called, he will take a leave from the Toronto District School Board.

“My loyalty is to the cause for education, and interest in the cause,” he said. “It’s the same area I’m running in for the byelection. If the population in this area feels that the provincial level is where I should be, then that’s (their) decision.

“I love what I’m doing as a trustee; I’m perfectly happy with it … but the local population will decide if I should represent these issues at the provincial level.”

In an email to fellow trustees, sent out last week, Shan said after two months as trustee he began “engaging in serious thought and deliberations” and two months later decided to seek the NDP nomination.

“It was a difficult decision but it is a step I need to take in order to support the local community in its continued advocacy for social and economic justice. As the election is expected in the summer, I don't anticipate it having any significant impact, if any, with my role as the trustee.”

He told the Star many people in the community urged him to run.

Board Chair Robin Pilkey said she heard from Shan, who explained to her why he was running.

“Trustees have to decide what they think is appropriate in certain cases,” she said, adding “I understand why he’s running, and he has told me that he will be able to keep doing both things” until the writ is issued.

Because of unusual circumstances — trustees Shaun Chen being elected to Ottawa and Michael Ford resigning to run for city councilor, and the deaths of two other trustees — the board has faced the disruption, and high cost, of four byelections.

When asked if the board would have to call another, she quipped: “Please don’t speculate — my heart can’t take it.”

The trustee byelection Shan ran in — which he won by a landslide — cost the board $250,000 alone.

Shan said if elected, he would “hold the government accountable for cuts and advocate for changes needed in the school system … it’s going to be a challenge — this is a Liberal stronghold in some ways provincially — but I am taking up that challenge and there are people who feel I need to do this.”

He said while fellow trustees “understand the situation” he’s in — “obviously the byelection timing is something I had not planned for” — not all were supportive of his decision “but generally there is support.”

When asked about criticism about the number of times he has run, he noted that he’s always run against well-established politicians. As well, he said, “for people who have been on the margins, including myself as a racialized person” it’s important to take advantage of opportunities to be heard. “It may not look like that from the outside,” he added.

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Karla Webber-Gallagher, the Ontario NDP’s provincial secretary, said Shan will be acclaimed as the NDP’s Scarborough-Rouge River candidate at a May 26 meeting.

“We’re excited to have Neethan as our candidate,” she said via email. “He’s been a fighter for Scarborough for many years and Scarborough-Rouge River needs an MPP who will stand up for the interests of this community, stand up for Scarborough families, and for high-quality education.”

Where he's run:

2003: Ran unsuccessfully for York Region District School board in Markham.

2006: Elected trustee for two wards in Markham, York Region District School Board.

2007: Less than a year serving as trustee, took a leave and ran unsuccessfully for MPP in Scarborough-Guildwood for the NDP. He then returned to being a trustee.

2010: Ran unsuccessfully for Toronto city Ward 42, Scarborough-Rouge River.

2011: Ran unsuccessfully for Scarborough-Rouge River riding in provincial election, for the NDP, losing to Liberal Bas Balkissoon.

2014: Ran unsuccessfully for Ward 42, Scarborough-Rouge River in the Toronto municipal election.

2016: Won byelection for TDSB trustee, with the backing of the local unions, in Scarborough-Rouge River.