The Ontario Ministry of Education is tightening the screws on financially reckless school boards, but one board seems to be dodging the spotlight while strong-arming families with questionable fees that defy ministry guidelines.

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB) has implemented so-called “mandatory student activity fees,” leaving parents to question if these fees are a sneaky way to offset mismanagement while locking kids out of essential school activities.

Last week, the Ministry of Education made waves by appointing supervisors to rein in four major school boards — Toronto, Toronto Catholic, Ottawa-Carleton, and Dufferin-Peel — for running deficits and burning through reserves. With funding up and student performance down, it’s clear Ontario’s public education system is facing serious financial dysfunction.

But while the big players face scrutiny, PVNCCDSB appears to be flying under the radar, and parents are fed up.

A parent in MPP David Piccini’s riding blew the whistle on PVNCCDSB’s fees, which doubled from $25 to $50 this year. These fees supposedly cover Chromebooks, extracurriculars, and guest speakers, including the controversial Get REAL Movement, which some parents slam as ideological overreach.

More alarmingly, exclusive communications shared with Rebel News reveal that students whose families can’t pay face exclusion from sports, computer access, and even prom.

One glaring oversight is that the Ministry of Education’s own guidelines explicitly state, “Schools cannot charge fees for required learning and activities that students must do.”

Sports, tech access, and school events are integral to a student’s education, not optional luxuries. So why is PVNCCDSB charging families and sidelining kids who don’t pay?

The whistleblower parent alleges these fees are a backdoor tactic to paper over the board’s financial mismanagement, burdening families already stretched thin by taxes and inflation.

When the parent raised concerns with their elected trustee, they were brushed off. Piccini’s office offered a weak excuse, claiming “there is very little we can do because of the legal independence of school boards.”

But hold on — new provincial legislation grants the Ministry of Education broader powers to investigate and even take over boards for financial mismanagement or public interest issues. With four major boards already under provincial control, PVNCCDSB and others should be on notice.

The Ministry of Education and MPP Piccini’s office were contacted to confirm whether PVNCCDSB is under investigation, if more boards face audits, and how Piccini’s claim of limited authority aligns with the province’s expanded oversight powers.

Surprise, surprise — no response. Zero accountability, zero transparency.

Yet the red flags continue pile up, especially when one considers that salaries make up over half of PVNCCDSB’s total operating and capital budget of roughly $200 million.

With 4,875 secondary students, that $50 fee per student could rake in nearly $244,000 annually — a quarter-million-dollar cash grab.

Meanwhile, the Ontario Sunshine List reveals a jaw-dropping surge in high earners at the board. In 2020, the number of employees making over $100,000 skyrocketed. The board’s average salary is $130,000, and total salary payouts hit $106 million (again, over half the operating budget).

That’s a staggering 66.2% increase from the previous year. Now, let’s spotlight the top earners.

Director of Education Steven O’Sullivan pockets $266,885 annually, plus benefits, after a 48% raise last year. Superintendent of Human Resources Darren Kahler earns $210,000, up 25.2%.

Superintendent of Business and Finance Sean Heuchert makes $205,000, with a 40% raise followed by a 12% bump. Psychologist and Student Services Manager Cynthia Chan Reynolds pulls in $203,000, a 45.3% increase.

Notice a pattern?

Four other superintendents — Julie Selby, Jonathon Di Lanni, Jeannie Armstrong, and Sheila Piggott — each earn between $193,000 and $199,000. Chief Financial Officer Teri Smith makes $188,000, and secondary principal Trevor Poechman earns $167,000.

That’s over $2 million in salaries for just 10 people. With 816 employees, the board’s total salary bill balloons to $107 million annually.

These eye-popping figures raise serious questions. Why are families footing the bill for tech upgrades, extracurriculars, and classroom resources through “mandatory” fees when executive salaries are eating up over half the budget?

The board’s claim that these fees are necessary feels flimsy when top earners are pocketing massive raises. Students facing exclusion from sports, tech, or prom over a $50 fee deserve better — and so do taxpayers.

Piccini’s staffers may claim their hands are tied, but that excuse doesn’t hold water. The Ministry’s recent crackdown shows it has the tools to act. PVNCCDSB’s financial priorities need a hard look.

Are families being forced to subsidize a top-heavy administration while kids lose out?

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