Two former Prince George school board trustees singled out in a lawsuit brought by ex-superintendent Anita Richardson are denying her allegation that they worked to undermine her efforts to improve relations with the area's First Nations.
On the contrary, Trent Derrick and Shuirose Valimohamed say in a response filed jointly to Richardson's notice of claim that they worked to improve the relationship between Richardson and the First Nations communities "by inviting her to meet with representatives and by counselling the Plaintiff as to how to improve these relationships."
The two go on to issue a point-by-point rebuttal to a series of allegations in which Richardson claims they acted outside their authorities by communicating with other trustees and with First Nations without her knowledge and, in so doing, contributed to a toxic work environment.
According to Richardson, the hostility began in the lead up to a Feb. 25, 2020 meeting in which trustees voted to rename Kelly Road Secondary School without first seeking input from staff, including the superintendent.
In response, Derrick and Valimohamed maintain they were "entitled as trustees" to propose and vote on the motion and that they did so "in order to pursue goals of reconciliation between the School District and the stakeholder First Nations and not so as to undermine the Superintendent, bully her, harass her, or cause a toxic workplace."
They agree with Richardson that from time to time they would consult with each other and other trustees outside of board meetings "but deny that it was improper to do so."
Derrick also admits that on Oct. 9, 2020, he sent an email to Richardson in which he raised a concern that she was not communicating adequately with him, would not meet with him despite his requests and that he wanted to know how she was going to address graduation rates in the district.
As the board's vice-chair at the time, Derrick said it was "not improper" for him to communicate with Richardson.
Derrick and Valimohamed also admit they attended meetings with Lheidli T'enneh and Tse'khene First Nations but that the purpose was to build the relationship between the school district and the First Nations and not to undermine, bully or harass Richardson.
Similar responses are provided to the other claims made by Richardson and go on to say her leave of absence and eventual termination was not caused by their actions.
It's noted in response that in May 2019, Lheidli T'enneh and the school district announced a new local education agreement that would see more involvement from the First Nation and that, in November 2019, trustees attended a Balhats or potlatch hosted by the Lheidli T'enneh in which the school district committed to "do things differently."
During the event, Derrick delivered a speech in which commitments made by the board were staked to his name and his family's reputation as a member of the Gitxsan First Nation.
"As such, it was not in Trustee Derrick's interest to undermine the relationship between the First Nation and the School District or its Superintendent, as alleged," they say in the response.
Richardson was hired as superintendent the following month and, a year later, she took a leave of absence. She was terminated from the position this past January and Cindy Heitman, who was the acting superintendent during Richardson's absence, now holds down the job.
In September 2021, Derrick and Valimohamed resigned as trustees. In a letter explaining his decision, Derrick stated his resignation came after he had time to reflect on the special advisor’s report, released the previous month, and found systemic anti-Indigenous racism and a “substantial culture of fear” within the district.
Valimohamed also cited the special advisor's report in her resignation letter. She said as a minority person of colour she felt "muzzled" and "never felt safe in any meetings nor at the public board table."
In July, Richardson filed a notice of claim seeking a range of damages against the board in general and Derrick and Valimohamed in particular, alleging bullying, harassment and a toxic workplace.
The response from Derrick and Valimohamed was filed August 11.
Richardson replies to school board trustees
Richardson, meanwhile, filed a reply on August 10 to the school board's response, filed August 2, in which she essentially sticks to her position.
In particular, she says, despite repeated requests, a copy of report by a third party into her complaints was not provided to her until just days before she was terminated was "so heavily redacted as to be meaningless."
Richardson also reiterates her allegation that the board "improperly and in bad faith...wrongly aligned" her with the negative findings produced by two special advisors who had been appointed by the Ministry of Education to look into the board's relationship with First Nations when, in fact, they made no findings against her at all.
None of the allegations have yet been tested in court.
- with files from Hanna Petersen
