The Calgary Catholic School District’s board of trustees approved an updated code of conduct on Wednesday, clarifying their role and how they should conduct themselves during their term.
The approval comes after the board reviewed the code of conduct last year, otherwise known as Policy 4. Board Chair Shannon Cook said the changes to the policy aim to bring more clarity and transparency to the roles trustees play.
Cook said the code of conduct was changed in 2022 and has been reviewed every year since.
“We just haven’t made changes until now, but we have reviewed it every year. There are some policies that are required to be reviewed every year because of the nature of the policy, like Policy 2 … But the rest of the policies are reviewed once per term,” the board chair said.
“Some of [the changes were made because of] experience. Some of it is making sure that we’re in line with legislation, because these policies are just an enactment of what is required in legislation. We’re required to have a Code of Conduct.”
For example, the updated policy now says trustees must comply with all board policies, including Policies 3 (Role Of The Trustee), 5 (Role of the Board Chair) and 6 (Role of the Vice-Chair). Previously, that was not clearly stated.
The code of conduct also added a clause that says trustees must remain non-partisan and cannot publicly endorse any candidate or party. Trustees who wish to seek office for the provincial, federal or municipal governments must also take a leave of absence immediately after they submit their nomination papers.
A new clause was added to say trustees must represent the board of trustees responsibly, as well as conduct themselves with “proper decorum” and respect for others. They must also live a personal lifestyle that reflects the teachings of the Catholic Church and must be in alignment with the Alberta Human Rights Act. These were also not clearly stated in the previous version.
Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools was embroiled in controversy beginning in 2023 after former trustee Monique LaGrange posted on social media two photos that compared LGBTQ youth with brainwashed Nazi youth. After a complaint was filed, trustees decided LaGrange breached the code of conduct. They later disqualified her as a trustee, a decision that was taken to court and upheld.
Guidance on handling a violation of the code of conduct
The policy also clarified procedures if a trustee feels like a colleague has violated the code of conduct.
“It’s just to make sure that the understanding that we have as trustees is actually in the policy, and the policy is and now states that as trustees, we are required to comply with all board policy,” Cook told LiveWire Calgary.
“Those are the kinds of changes that were going on to me. So I’m not sure that they were particularly significant. I just think it just brings a lot of clarity to the policy.”
Cook said the policy will be reviewed again next year with new trustees and new perspectives.
“I’m actually happy where we came out. These are important rules … They remind me that as a trustee, I’m here to serve the district and to serve the students within the district, and I’m not here to serve myself,” she said.
“I think everyone appreciates knowing what the rules are and making sure that we’re conducting ourselves and our business in a way that’s appropriate for the district, in line with legislation and the right thing to do.”
