Ontario’s education minister wants to get to the bottom of what’s going on at the York Region school board, following months of accusations that officials there aren’t properly dealing with allegations of racism or Islamophobia.

Mitzie Hunter says she will soon meet with director J. Philip Parappally and other leaders at the troubled board to find out how it is dealing with families’ many concerns.

News of her move comes a day after an open letter — signed by 141 community leaders as well as the Ontario Federation of Labour — urged her to take action, and also on the heels of numerous stories in the Star detailing parents’ complaints.

“I actually will be meeting with the leadership of the York Region District School Board in the coming days,” she said at Queen’s Park. “It’s very important to me and it’s very important to parents to know that issues of racism are not tolerated in our schools. We want all of our schools to be inclusive and safe places for student well-being and student learning.

“This is something that’s very important to me. The transparency and how boards work with parents and work with the community are also very important.”

Hunter said she plans to address the recent case of a principal who posted material on her public Facebook account that some consider Islamophobic.

“I will be speaking about this issue,” she said of the questionable postings. “This is a very important issue, it’s of concern about the community and this is something that we will discuss.”

York board spokesperson Licinio Miguelo said that when Hunter took over the education portfolio, “we requested a meeting . . . to provide general updates on key initiatives and priorities of the (board).

“We welcome an opportunity to meet with the minister and provide her directly with an update.”

He didn’t respond to questions about the specific purpose of the meeting.

Parent Charline Grant — who is awaiting a human rights hearing on her complaints that her son was discriminated against at his high school — said the education minister’s move “will at least open up a conversation” about what’s going on.

“The board has a shoulder-shrug personality — they think they are untouchable,” she said. “They are very frustrating to deal with, you get no answers. There’s no one they feel they have to answer to.”

Hunter also said she will broach the issue trustee transparency, after revelations that two elected officials travelled to Finland on the taxpayers’ dime for the second, and even third, time, for unclear purposes. Parappally and board Chair Anna DeBartolo also recently visited Holland, a trip board insiders said was kept under wraps.

Markham parent Rukshan Para, who has been calling more for transparency from the board and more trustee oversight, also welcomed news of the minister’s meeting.

“I’m happy the province is stepping in, because this was a board that was the model board for so long,” said Para, who ran for trustee in 2014 and is considering another run in 2018. “And I know many parents feel like that’s completely gone.

“I’m worried about the quality of my child’s education,” he said, adding he’s heard concerns from parents about the lack of parent engagement, and lack of communication from the board.

Two York trustees have also questioned whether proper procedures were followed in the case of principal Ghada Sadaka, who parents say continues to work at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School in Markham. No one — including the complainant — was informed what the probe entailed, and what if any disciplinary action was taken.

The board has said it cannot discuss personnel matters publicly, but Miguelo has previously told the Star that “in any case where such allegations are brought forward all applicable policies and regulations are strictly followed.”

The open letter sent Monday said that “as community leaders, we are even more perturbed to see this as part of what may be a larger problem. We are deeply saddened to note that there appears to be a systemic issue at play in York Region as black families have also been alleging issues of anti-black racism within the school system.”

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The letter also notes what a number of York staffers have told the Star, about a growing “culture of fear” within the board.

Markham parent Syed Abdul, who signed the open letter, hopes that the meeting will shed light on what kind of investigation took place in the Sadaka case. Parents, he added, also want reassurance that school is a safe place for their children.

“The board needs to regain public trust,” he said, “because at the moment, that has been lost."

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