‘Blue jeans’ blame backfires for Ontario school board trustee | Globalnews.ca
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A trustee from the Upper Canada District School Board is facing a second potential censure following remarks he made in the media about being censured for wearing “blue jeans.”
A statement from the board sent out Tuesday evening said that the board of trustees “strenuously objects” to “false statements” it says trustee Curtis Jordan made in a July 14 Recorder and Times article.
In fact, in an interview with Global News on Wednesday, board chair John McAllister called Jordan’s statements “patently false.”
Jordan spoke to the Brockville-area newspaper before he was officially censured June 21, while the investigation into the matter was ongoing, and told the paper it was in part due to his casual attire at a board meeting.
Tuesday, the board released a public statement expressly denying Jordan’s account in the media.
Although the board had previously kept details of Jordan’s censure under wraps, in a remarkable move, the board released details of the alleged infraction Tuesday in a public statement.
It claims that Jordan was censured after he was cautioned about “the need to ensure that his expense claims comply with the board’s expense reimbursement policy.”
McAllister said comments were made by Jordan during a call about the expense policy that prompted the complaint.
In a statement sent to Global News Wednesday, Jordan denied the board’s allegations.
“I’ve always followed all rules regarding trustee expenditures, and will continue to do so.”
The investigation into the expenses matter has since been completed and the board says it was determined that Jordan breached the trustee code of conduct on June 21.
“Trustee Jordan declined all of the opportunities he was offered to participate in the investigation and did not offer any response to the complaint made against him,” the board said.
Jordan was then barred from serving on all committees or attending meetings until the end of December.
A second Code of Conduct complaint has now been filed against the trustee by vice chair of the board, Corina Parisien, in relation to the statements he made in the media.
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