BROCKVILLE – A sanctioned school board trustee who is under investigation again for Code of Conduct violations said he will take part in the process this time around.
Upper Canada District School Board trustee Curtis Jordan, who was found in June 2023 to have violated that board’s Code of Conduct guidelines and suspended for six months, is being investigated for a second code of conduct violation.
According to a released report by the school board Jordan, – who represents Stormont and Glengarry Counties in Ward 9 – did not take part in the first investigation.
The report said that despite multiple attempts to have Jordan participate in the process, he did not.
Jordan faces the second code of conduct investigation after publicly stating that his first investigation was due to violating the UCDSB dress code, wearing jeans to meetings.
The board released the originally confidential report to refute those claims – saying that the complaint was due to his conduct on a phone call about expenses refused by the trustee board chair John McAllister, and director of education Ron Ferguson. During that call, Jordan accused the two men of being homophobic.
Since the release of that report, Jordan has continued with claims that he is being singled out for being on the Autism Spectrum.
In a statement to The Leader, Jordan said on August 21 that he will take part in the investigation process for the second Code of Conduct complaint.
“I’m pleased to confirm my legal counsel and I will be participating in the investigation process,” Jordan responded.
Jordan claims to be the first openly ASD elected official in Ontario, and was honoured by MPPs at Queen’s Park April 3 for that accomplishment. His phone call with McAllister and Ferguson, which prompted the first Code of Conduct investigation, took place the same day.
Jordan confirmed to this newspaper that he requested workplace accommodations for his disability with the UCDSB after his election in October 2022.
“I have not been able to get the UCDSB to accommodate my disability between the time I was elected and now,” Jordan explained.
“While students with exceptionalities receive individualized education plans as a way to accomplish their needs, no similar accommodation has been afforded to me. My hope is that one day the UCDSB will accommodate me.”
According to the UCDSB, members of the Board of Trustees are not employees of the school board, as defined by the Municipal Elections Act.
“Although the board of education’s legal obligations to members of its governing body are not the same as its obligations to employees, reasonable efforts are made to accommodate any disability upon request. The Board would treat any such request as confidential,” said McAllister in response to questions from The Leader.
When asked if he would file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Jordan responded with, “no comment as of yet.”
This article was originally published in the Morrisburg Leader.
