Retired school trustee calls on province to fire Chilliwack education board

CHILLIWACK (NEWS 1130) – A retired school trustee says it’s time for the province to exercise its powers and remove the Chilliwack board of education.

Sylvia Dyck has made that public plea in her local newspaper.

Dyck writes, “such a request is not easy to make for someone who believes passionately in the role of school trustee and democracy,” before going on to say “the students and amazing staff of the Chilliwack School District deserve better, especially in these times.”

In her letter, published in the Chilliwack Progress, Dyck calls on Premier John Horgan and new Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside to step in.

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Despite all the controversy around trustee Barry Neufeld, Dyck argues all members of the board are betraying the trust of the Chilliwack community.

Just last week, the board called on Neufeld to step down, following his use of a derogatory slur to describe reporters in the city.

He’s had a string of high profile missteps, and earlier this year apologized after spreading a conspiracy theory claiming that our country’s top doctor, Theresa Tam, is transgender, and that that made her less credible.

Dyck served as a school trustee in Chilliwack for six terms.