GUELPH – During a Wellington Catholic District School Board meeting on Jan. 13, a parent delegate used their cell phone to record an apology from associate director Tracy McLennan.
She was acknowledging a mathematical error on a public presentation regarding grade restructuring St. Peter and St. James elementary schools in Guelph when chair Marino Gazzola cut her off to address a parent attending the meeting.
The parent was holding a phone out and appeared to be recording the apology.
Gazzola confirmed the parent was recording, and sternly insisted they stop immediately.
He said recording of board meetings was not permitted, and the parent appeared to stop the recording and put their phone away.
Board spokesperson Alison Lupal later told the Advertiser that Gazzola was “operating on incorrect information” and has since reached out and apologized to the parent.
Gazzola was under the impression that recording was limited to “board staff recording for note taking and reporter recording for quoting through reporting [and] the general public wasn’t able to take recording without the board/board admin being aware of it,” Lupal stated in an email.
His understanding was incorrect. All members of the public are allowed to record board meetings.
