School board appoints local defence attorney to replace controversial Oshawa trustee

Defence attorney Mark Jacula was officially appointed the Durham District School Board’s newest trustee Monday night, replacing controversial former trustee Linda Stone.

Jacula’s appointment was finalized as part of the Trustee Vacancy Selection Process held May 28 with more than 30 local candidates in the running for the Oshawa seat on the board.

“We are confident that Mark Jacula will be a valuable addition to our board,” said Christine Thatcher, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “His dedication to education, combined with his commitment to human rights, equity, and anti-discrimination, aligns perfectly with our core values and operational goals.”

Mark Jacula

The appointment of Jacula underscores the board’s commitment to fostering educational environments that are “equitable, inclusive, respectful, and welcoming, and where every student can reach their full potential,” Thatcher added.

The board chose Jacula to replace Stone, who stepped down in April following a long string of controversies about her views on the LGBT community.

Stone came under fire numerous times over the years and has been formally reprimanded three times sharing misinformation about the LGBT community and transgender people specifically, both in public school board meetings and on social media.

Linda Stone

In her most recent reprimand last year, Integrity Commissioner Michael Maynard ruled against Stone regarding 13 complaints. He called her comments “belligerent, reductive and dismissive.”

Following the first time her comments got her in hot water, she resigned from the board, only to run again (and win back her seat) in the 2022 election,

After the last reprimand, she resigned again in April calling her former colleagues “cowards, leftists and bullies” on X. However, she pledged to remain in the public eye and continue to express her views.

With files from Liam McConnell