Vote to see if OCDSB trustee’s texts breached code of conduct defeated at special meeting

An Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) trustee has been found not guilty of breaching the board’s code of conduct.

A special board meeting was held on Monday, Sept. 11 to determine whether Nili Kaplan-Myrth should be sanctioned over a text message exchange with a fellow trustee.

When trustee Donna Dickson indicated she planned to vote against a temporary mask mandate, Kaplan-Myrth texted Dickson “don’t vote with the white supremacists.”

Dickson, who is Black, says she interpreted the text from Kaplan-Myrth — who is white — as a racist remark.

A screenshot of part of a November 2022 text message exchange between Donna Dickson, in light blue, and Nili Kaplan-Myrth in dark blue. 

The vote failed because seven trustees voted in favour of a breach, zero voted against, and four abstained – and two thirds in favour is required for the vote to pass.

After the vote, Kaplan-Myrth, who is a family doctor, told The Sam Laprade Show that this board meeting has been weighing over head as she never accused any trustees of being white supremacist, rather, asked colleagues not to vote in a way that “would get certain people cheering and getting their way.”

I was not found guilty at @OCDSB tonight. But it isn’t a victory. We live in a dangerous time. I have a Charter right to point out that we were bombarded by white supremacists, to express political opinion, and to lobby colleagues. It isn’t safe to be a Jew in politics in #Ottawa

— Nili Kaplan-Myrth MD PhD (@nilikm) September 12, 2023

In a statement released after the vote, Dickson said “while the motion did not pass, I accept the outcome of the vote. It is clear that a strong majority of the board is in agreement that Trustee Kaplan-Myrth’s actions were unbecoming of a school board trustee. Along with my colleagues on the board, I will continue to hold trustee Kaplan-Myrth and all Board administrators accountable as we continue into the new school year.”

Kaplan-Myrth has been the target of hate and threats for her work with COVID-19 vaccines while being an advocate for public health measures, and Dickson recognized when the complaint was filed. Dickson asked for a public apology.

“How is this right,” said Dickson on The Sam Laprade Show regarding her text message exchange with Kaplan-Myrth. “How can she bully me like this when she complains about being bullied and threatened.”

Dickson said now, the focus shifts to the well-being of and students as a new school year has kicked off.