06-03-2025
London school board lawyer Ali Chahbar latest exec on leave amid senior leadership upheaval
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Another senior leader at the Thames Valley District School Board is on a leave of absence as the organization continues to review its operations following several high profile scandals that saw the province step in.
Ali Chahbar, the TVDSB's in-house lawyer, was removed from the position earlier this week, CBC News learned Thursday. The leave was effective as of March 3, interim director of education Bill Tucker confirmed.
Last week, board chair Beth Mai announced she was taking a leave from her position for health reasons. Over the course of the last six months, more than five other senior leaders have left the board, some on paid leaves of absence, others for new positions.
Last fall, the province announced it was conducting a management audit of the TVDSB, as well as an investigation into its spending. It came after senior leaders spent $40,000 on a three-day planning retreat in Toronto, and ran a flower-arranging workshop for communications staff.
Tucker was appointed interim director when Mark Fisher was put on leave in September. Others who have left include Associate Director Linda Nicholls, Katie Osborne, the superintendent of education, and Cheryl Weedmark, the director of communications.
Tucker would not comment on the nature of Chahbar's leave, or if it was linked to the leadership and organizational review he is tasked with conducting.
Chahbar's salary is listed on the Sunshine List as just over $199,000, plus benefits. He's been with the school board since 2018.
The board is staring down a $16 million deficit, which rose when forecast enrollment dropped this year.
CBC News did reach out to Chahbar Wednesday for comment, and this story will be updated if he responds.
The school board has held a series of in-camera meetings in recent days, includine one that saw Mai step aside for several weeks.
