School board upholds retirement policy

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

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The Annapolis Valley Regional School Board voted to uphold its controversial retirement policy at its November 1 meeting. The policy, which requires staff to retire at the end of the month in which they turn 65 has been under review by the board since last spring. Since that time five non-teaching staff members have requested the board reverse its policy and a substitute teacher who was refused work because of his age launched a human rights complaint against the board.

While the policy was debated and upheld at the board's September meeting, members were given another chance to review information pertinent to the issue at their meeting in October. At that time member Vic Fleury served notice that he would put forth a motion for the board to rescind its retire-at-65 policy which has been in effect since it was established by amalgamation in 1997.

The vote to reverse the policy was defeated by a slim margin with Jenny White, Bob Tumilty, Jackie Foster and Dwight Johnson joining Fluery in his bid to overturn the policy. Those opposed to any change included Paula Lunn, Pat Parker, Karleen Barlsor, Peter Cromwell, Susan Ritchie, Peter Goucher and Charlene Davies. Doug Fraser and Murray Coleman were absent for the vote.