Give me a break, Sam! Principals and school parent councils have had to contend with this issue for years, so cut the theatrics. When you accepted this union's money for your election campaign, you knew (or should have known) exactly what you were buying into:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1216216--toronto-schools-skilled-trades-workers-pressured-to-campaign-for-trustees-mpps-by-union-bosses?bn=1

At least he had the courage to come forward and not be "muzzled" as was suggested by Sheila Ward. Four months on the job as the newest elected trustee and he's made more noise than people who have been there for 30 years and have known what's going on all along. I take my hat off to him. Obviously his silence cannot be bought. He made an error of judgement, realized it and admitted it. None of the other Trustees came forward. He is the newest Trustee on the board and the only one with any real courage to speak up. Good for him! Shows character. Way to go, Sam! We need more people like you to take the unions to the cleaners. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase: "Take their money and run." I like this guy, and expect great things from him. I live in his riding and will definitely be voting for him again.

@Hawkeye a.k.a. RB (and probably RM in cahoots... nudge nudge, wink wink) I don't know who Ajay is nor why he posted a comment using my picture (though that's easy enough these days...), but his heart and mind are in the right place. I thank him for his support. As for you, you really ought to take it easy, medical leave for an ailment as serious as yours should not involve stressing yourself out over such matters. We need our provincial public service employees to take care of themselves. That goes for RM too, as she's also not well (though she's a former provincial employee, and from what I understand, with good reason). As for my predecessor, she did try to get the union support in 2010 but they turned her down. But, who could blame her, it's not like there are people lining up to donate to (or campaign for) trustee candidates. I've admitted I made an error, and I have gone so far as to sponsor a forthcoming motion banning union contributions to trustee candidates goingforward. But,nothing will appease you as you seem to have some personal axe to grind. C'est la vie. Thanks for the rancour, but you can keep it for yourself. Oh, and please feel free to check my voting record at the TDSB and then come back and tell us about how much influence the unions have had in my voting. Do have a look: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/boardroom/bd_agenda/MinutesYearly.asp?siteid=88&menuid=402&enablenav=true&myyear=2012

Take good care now.

Sam Sotiropoulos

@Hawkeye RB/RM I thought you had a heart (and the other a head) problem, not a hearing problem? That's certainly not what i said. In any case, it is my understanding that I am not allowed to make such donations as that would be viewed as a conflict of interest. I have already asked about making contributions to my Ward schools and that is what I was told. So, I guess I will just have to make it up in kind. Will cleaning up the Board and ensuring such shenanigans as have been reported over the past week don't happen again be a fair offsetting value? Sweet dreams.