Over 65? You’ve got a right to teach

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

John Cline’s complaint of age discrimination against the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board has been upheld by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (NSHRC).

After being removed from the AVRSB’s substitute teacher list after he turned 65, Cline took the matter to the NSHRC. At the time, the school board had a mandatory-retirement policy for employees. The recent decision handed down by the commission concluded that policy did not meet the necessary test for exemption under provisions of the Human Rights Act and, therefore, discrimination had occurred. The policy has since been rescinded.

After hearing from the commission last week he had won his case, Cline admitted he was glad to have the experience behind him. “It was a long haul and I need to move on,” said Cline.

He is also “pleased and very happy” the commission found damages in his favour. He said, by the time the settlement is completely worked out, he should realize between $12,000 and $15,000. “It’s not as much as I had hoped for - it is only about a quarter or one-third of what I wanted - but money was never the primary concern for me.”

Cline said he took on the AVRSB because he felt strongly people should be able to work past the age of 65 if they so choose. “It was the principle that motivated me more than anything.”

Cline is also happy to report, since he added his name to the AVRSB’s substitute teaching list for 2007/08, he has been teaching regularly. “It is great to be back in the classroom and, recently at one of the schools, I had someone stop me and thank me for taking a stand on the retirement issue. That was just as rewarding as the compensation.”

All parties in the complaint have 30 days to appeal the board of inquiry’s decision to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, after which time a decision becomes binding.

With the decision behind him, Cline said he is looking forward to part-time teaching, “enjoying a simple life” and devoting his spare time to “striving for peace and human rights, having fun and being an active member in my community.”