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“Right now, I am focused on the three boards that we are reviewing and investigating at this time,” she said. “I’m going to deal with the issues that I have at hand in front of me, but there’s all these future conversations and what that may look like.”

Dunlop also said she is going to ensure that all boards are following Ontario public service expense rules. 

On Monday, Dunlop rebuked the four trustees in the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic school board, saying their $145,000 summer trip to Italy was inappropriate, as was a $45,000 retreat to º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøtaken by senior staff at the Thames Valley public board.

“Frankly, I’m very disappointed and I’m hearing the same from taxpayers across the province,” she said, adding that while there may be rare cases where international travel can be justified, it can’t be “for trips to Italy for artwork or going for baseball games.”

Dunlop has ordered a governance review in Brant, and has sent an auditor in to Thames Valley. 

Four of the Brant board’s trustees went on the trip to Italy to purchase sculptures for two schools. After a public outcry, they said they will reimburse the board for the $45,000 in travel fees and find outside sources to fund the $100,000 for religious statues.

In Thames Valley, $45,000 was spent on a retreat to the Rogers Centre and hotel in August over three days when the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøBlue Jays had home games. The board also landed in hot water for providing flower-arranging classes as professional development for some staff members. 

“We are reviewing the governance of that board right now and looking forward to seeing what comes forward with that,” Dunlop said Tuesday. “But again, this is about accountability and transparency. These are taxpayers’ dollars that are being spent. We are making large investments in education — that money is to be spent on our students and our teachers in the classroom.”

Before the trip by Brant trustees, their board had approved new expense rules allowing for first-class travel for long-haul flights, upgraded hotel rooms and, in some circumstances, alcohol for hospitality.

The board has yet to release spending details of the trip.

For the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøDistrict School Board, Dunlop has tasked human rights and education expert Patrick Case to look at what happened before, during and after a field trip taken by students at 15 schools, during which some ended up taking part a protest and joining in pro-Palestinian chants, including, “From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime.”

Parents had been told their children would attend the Grassy Narrows River Run, a community event to support the First Nation and its efforts to address mercury contamination there, and would not take part in the rally.

Dunlop said Case will interview teachers and principals, as well as look at communications sent home to parents about the field trip.