Scolded school board getting message: chair

The chairman of aNova Scotiaschool board that has been scolded for its constant squabbling says he believes the group will clean up its act.

The Halifax Regional School Board was rapped on the knuckles Wednesday by Education Minister Karen Casey, who said she was investigating a recent spat among board members.

The minister said she's considering dissolving the board if it doesn't perform the way she expects it to.

That message sank in Wednesday night, says board chair Gary O'Hara.

"We came out with a good framework of discussion and I think in the end those of us who were left really had a good consensus to move forward," O'Hara told reporters after themeeting.

"I think that's progress."

This is the second time this year the school board has been threatened with dissolution.

In January, then Education Minister Jamie Muir ordered the board to get along and get back to business after a spat over the seating arrangement forced the cancellation of two meetings.

The school board has long been divided into two camps, and the squabbling has parents, teachers and government officials fed up.

Last week, African-Nova Scotian member Doug Sparks got into a shouting match with a few other board members before the group made its way into the board chambers.

Members held a closed-door session Wednesday night with an official from the Department of Education. Later, Sparks chose not totalk toreporters.

Board vice-chair Debra Barlow isn't saying much either about this most recent warning from an education minister.

"The minister has a job to do and so do we," she said.

The Halifax school board has a retreat planned for early in the new year. But O'Hara said he doesn't know for certain whether everyone will go.