Province’s education minister fires school board in Cowichan Valley, B.C.

VANCOUVER – A school board in Cowichan Valley, B.C., has been expelled.

The province’s education minister, George Abbott, fired the board for district 79 after it refused to produce a balanced budget by yesterday’s deadline.

Abbott has appointed Surrey school district superintendent Mike McKay as the official trustee for the district, praising him as a respected 30-year veteran of the education system.

McKay once worked as a school principal in the district and is now tasked with working alongside district staff to produce a balanced budget.

Last week, the district’s board passed a deficit budget in a 4-5 decision.

According to board member Ryan Bruce, if a balanced budget is not passed funds from the government cannot be transferred to the district.