Stealth democracy and the school board trustee

Abstract

The value of elected school board trustees has been a topic of debate. Several provinces in Canada have already eliminated them, with Manitoba currently considering abolishing them as well. Whether this is supported-or opposed-by the public is somewhat unknown. This research note reports the results of a survey of Ontario residents. We find that while two-thirds of respondents support retaining trustees, there are factors that pull people more towards favouring their elimination. Support for trustees is significantly lower for males, younger respondents, and those on the political right.