A Hastings Prince Edward District School Board Trustee that has been sanctioned, punished, sanctioned and punished, has once again been allowed at meetings.
Quinte News has confirmed that despite receiving a second barring by the board of trustees, the North Prince Edward member will be in attendance at this coming Monday’s meeting.
Let us go back to where it all began, November 2024.
An investigation surrounding the Code of Conduct alleged breaches by Prinzen.
Then Chair Shannon Binder announced the sanctions following a closed meeting of the board of trustees and a report from their integrity commissioner.
” … that Trustee Prinzen be barred from attending all or part of a meeting of the board, or a committee thereof and from sitting on one or more of the board’s committees commencing January 6, 2025 for a period of 90 days.”
Prinzen took that complaint to a divisional court, where the sanctions were stayed.
The Stay Order for Prinzen to rejoin the board served as a pause of the sanctions, not a reversal/approval of them.
In May, the results of another integrity commissioner’s report came to the board, following another submitted complaint against Prinzen.
Board Chair Kari Kramp announced the trustees decision to bar Prinzen
“The HPEDSB trustees have found that Trustee Rachel Prinzen has breached the Members Code of Conduct, as outlined in the board motion, Section 5 – Respect for Confidentiality.”
The board announced that Prinzen would again be barred from attending or sitting on the board or a committee of the board, starting August 25, 2025 for a period of 90 days.
Quinte News received word that Prinzen appealed to the Divisional Court once again and following that appeal, we confirmed with the school board that she would in fact be attending the upcoming meeting on Monday August 25.
We asked staff at the board whether it was the board or the court that lifted the barring against Prinzen, however, they have not responded.
Quinte News has submitted a Freedom of Information request to the board for both reports of the Integrity Commissioner
As of January 1, 2025, the Education Act requires the following of Ontario school boards
Records and information
(11) A board shall keep records and publish information on its website about each of the following:
1. A matter referred to an integrity commissioner under subsection 218.3 (3).
2. A decision of the integrity commissioner under subsection 218.3 (8).
3. A determination of an integrity commissioner under section 218.3.1.
4. A determination by a panel under subsection (7) or (8). 2023, c. 11, Sched. 2, s. 24.
The legal battle has not come without a hefty price for the board.
Board Chair Kari Kramp read out the cost as of June 2025
” … and the current costing for the two code of conduct breaches and associated processes from 2024 and 2025 to date is $110,000 ($110,318).”
Shortly after posting the article, Quinte News received the following statement from the HPEDSB
“We cannot speak to the specifics as this is part of a legal proceeding. As a Board, we’re acting to resolve this situation with an approach that is respectful and facilitates an expeditious process.” -Kari Kramp Trustee Chair HPEDSB”
We contacted Trustee Rachel Prinzen for comment.
“I am pleased to be able to continue to serve students, teachers, staff, parents, and all those voices I represent. Although court proceedings are typically public, I am unable to comment due to board policy.”
