Remember the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA)? That organization funded by school boards -- which are funded by taxpayers -- that drew fire last fall for spending big bucks on staff perks instead of students?
If you were holding your breath for the ASBA to be held accountable, you should probably stop now. ASBA staff just got a 1% salary increase, and ASBA trustees and board members got a 1% per diem increase, too. The new budget passed at the ASBA Spring General Meeting on Monday, from which people were live-tweeting:
#sgm2016 budget passed with staff salary inc, trustee per diem inc. frustrating. #epsb sought 50% fee reduction
Based on the live-tweets, the increases did not pass without debate.
Last year the CTF revealed that the ASBA spent $41,000 on staff gifts, events and adult Easter egg hunts (yes, really), according to a document we obtained.
Other internal emails obtained by the CTF showed the current Health Minister and former Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) chair Sarah Hoffman and current EPSB chair Michael Janz questioning the ASBA for expensing hotel stays for ASBA staff living in the same city, excessive flights between Calgary and Edmonton, "lovely" office space at more than 20 times the possible rent in surplus schools, travel and retreats with questionable benefit to students.
Another questionable use of precious education tax dollars involving the ASBA made headlines recently, when it was revealed that board members for the Alberta teachers' benefits plan (ASEBP) were jetting to Hawaii and Phoenix for 'professional development'. Five of the ten ASEBP board members come directly from the ASBA -- which also happens to be the organization tasked with holding that board accountable...
The ASBA has still not retroactively posted its expenses online from the past 5 years, during which time school board chairs expressed concerns.
Education Minister David Eggen has still not required that the ASBA nor the ASEBP be subject to freedom of information requests, so parents, students and all taxpayers can see how their money is being spent.
It's no secret that budgets are tight. The province has a $14 billion deficit. Taxpayers expect that money collected for education goes directly toward benefitting students. Is a pay hike for ASBA staff and a per diem increase for ASBA trustees and board benefitting students?
Perhaps it's time for a wee bit of accountability here.
Minister Eggen, what say you?
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