Clayton La Touche has been removed as director of education at the Toronto District School Board less than a year into the role, after the Ford government’s appointed supervisor said the board requires a “fresh start” to move forward.
In an email sent to staff Friday morning, TDSB supervisor Rohit Gupta said that after six months overseeing the board, he and the education minister had decided to make a leadership change. Gupta said the decision was made after careful consideration and was intended to set the board up for success in the years ahead.
Stacey Zucker, currently an associate director, has been named interim director of education. Zucker previously served in the interim role last year.
Education Minister Paul Calandra said the board is refocusing its efforts on student achievement and expressed confidence that Gupta and Zucker will work together to ensure decisions are centred on students.
La Touche began his career with the TDSB in 1994 as a teacher and was appointed director of education earlier this year after working at the Ministry of Education, where he most recently served as assistant deputy minister in the student support and field services division.
The leadership change comes amid heightened provincial oversight of several Ontario school boards. In June, Calandra announced the appointment of supervisors to take control of the TDSB, the Toronto Catholic District School Board and two other boards, citing the need for decisive action to address financial mismanagement. The move was widely criticized by parents, trustees and community advocates as undemocratic.
Earlier this month, the province also took over the Near North District School Board following the passage of Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act, which expanded the education minister’s authority to intervene in school board governance.
The TDSB is not the only board under supervision to experience a leadership shakeup. Last month, the supervisor overseeing the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board announced the departure of its director of education and appointed a replacement.
Opposition parties and education unions sharply criticized La Touche’s removal, raising concerns about transparency and cost. NDP education critic Chandra Pasma said the decision was made behind closed doors by Conservative-appointed supervisors, without consultation with parents. She also questioned how much the move would cost taxpayers in severance and salary expenses, noting that the TDSB supervisor earns $350,000 annually.
Ontario Liberal education critic John Fraser echoed those concerns, warning that severance costs would be borne by taxpayers without delivering improvements in classrooms, class sizes or student supports. He said parents remain in the dark about the true state of the education system.
When asked about potential severance costs, a TDSB spokesperson said the board could not provide further comment.
Union leaders also condemned the decision. Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president David Mastin described the minister’s involvement in board-level human resources decisions as a governance issue and said the leadership change distracts from urgent needs such as more teachers, smaller class sizes, and stronger special education and mental health supports. OSSTF Toronto president Michelle Teixeira called the move troubling, suggesting it may be another political decision made at the expense of students, while underfunding of public education continues.
The removal of La Touche marks another flashpoint in the growing debate over provincial control of school boards and the future governance of public education in Ontario.