Squabbling school board faces dissolution

Nova Scotia's education minister is threatening to take control of the largest school board in the province.

Karen Casey said she has been getting a lot of complaints about the Halifax Regional School Board from parents and the public.

"These people are elected to represent the people, and if the people are unhappy with that representation, then under the Education Act I can take some steps," she said Wednesday.

Last week, several members of the board reportedly got into a shouting match before a meeting, but it was only its most recent conflict.

Earlier this year, the education minister at the time, Jamie Muir, issued a number of directives aimed at ending a dispute over where board members could sit. That disputehad forced the cancellation of twoscheduled meetings.

Muir said he was just as frustrated as the parents who wrote him to complain about the squabbling.

Now Caseyis looking into whether the latest spat is a violation of the former education minister's directives.

"One of the directives that was given to that board by the previous minister was their decorum, their ability to work together, their respect for each other's differences and opinions," she said.

Casey said she's prepared to make sure board business runs smoothly, which could mean appointing someone to take over responsibilities for the board until the next election in 2008. Casey expects to make a decision in the next couple of weeks.

The board, whichoversees the education of 55,000 students in the Halifax Regional Municipality, is scheduled to meet Wednesday night.