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Chilliwack school board responds to newest legal action against controversial trustee

Board underlines that they are not a respondent in court case looking to have Barry Neufeld removed
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Chilliwack school board trustee Barry Neufeld at the previous board’s last meeting before the Oct. 20, 2018 election. (Paul Henderson/ Progress file)

The Chilliwack Board of Education is not a part of the newest legal case against Trustee Barry Neufeld.

They released a statement on Monday following news last week that Neufeld is once again being faced with removal from the board. This time, it’s by Chilliwack resident Peter Lang, who says Neufeld violated the School Act when he disclosed information from an in-camera meeting.

Lang’s lawyers are petitioning the B.C. Supreme Court to have Neufeld removed over the allegations of conflict of interest. He has already been censured by the board, who removed his ability to attend future in-camera meetings.

The Chilliwack school board’s press release underlined that they are “not a respondent in that litigation,” in statement signed by Jared Mumford, board vice-chair.

“We are aware that this issue arises in the context of a resolved human rights complaint involving the board and an outstanding complaint against Trustee Neufeld. The Board has yet to come together to discuss this matter with legal counsel and will not comment further at this time.”

Vancouver Lawyers Adrienne Smith and Neil Chantler filed the petition on Feb. 19.

“The elector alleges that Trustee Neufeld broke the rules around sharing information from the in camera meeting; and more significantly, that he knowingly participated in a meeting which put him in a conflict of interest,” Smith said.

Neufeld has not responded to a request for comment from The Progress.

READ MORE: Chilliwack resident files lawsuit asking BC Supreme Court to remove Barry Neufeld from office

-with files from Paul Henderson


@CHWKcommunity
jpeters@theprogress.com

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Jessica Peters

About the Author: Jessica Peters

I began my career in 1999, covering communities across the Fraser Valley ever since.
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