A Toronto Catholic District School Board trustee accused of billing taxpayers for an Elvis Presley song says the charge was an honest mistake — and she’s calling out Ontario’s education minister for focusing on “pennies” while schools struggle with underfunding.
Maria Rizzo, who is legally blind, uses a wheelchair, and has a hearing disability, said she never intentionally downloaded “Suspicious Minds,” despite a receipt showing the $1.29 iTunes purchase submitted as part of her trustee expenses.
“I did not knowingly do this,” Rizzo told The Trillium. “I probably pressed some button by mistake. I can’t even see those receipts without magnification. I’ve never downloaded a song in my life.”
Education Minister Paul Calandra has been publicly criticizing trustee spending as part of a broader review of school board governance — and has hinted at possibly eliminating trustees altogether. At a media event earlier this week, Calandra singled out Rizzo’s song purchase as well as casino meal expenses, questioning why parents should accept public money being used this way.
Calandra’s comments have fueled a wider political fight over trustee accountability. The minister has sent a letter to TCDSB Chair Markus de Domenico demanding the return of more than $6,500 in equipment purchases, including an Apple Pencil Pro, TV wall mounts, laptop bags, and an Apple Watch band.
Rizzo pushed back, saying she is happy to repay the $1.46 total charge for the song but argues the minister should be addressing what she calls “chronic underfunding” of classrooms. “You want $1.46? Take my $1.46,” she said. “But stop ignoring the bigger issue of not having enough educational assistants and basic classroom supplies.”
She also accused Calandra of hypocrisy, pointing to his own hotel stays and ministerial expenses, which his office defends as necessary for his duties.
A spokesperson for the minister said the expenses “speak for themselves” and that parents expect a higher standard of accountability. Calandra denied any “vendetta” against trustees, insisting his focus is on ensuring public dollars go toward students rather than personal perks.
The clash comes as the Carney government considers sweeping reforms to school board governance. Calandra has promised to outline a plan for the “future of governance” — including the potential elimination of trustees — by the end of this year, a move opposed by the Canadian School Boards Association, the provincial NDP, and parents who say trustees are a vital connection between families and schools.