School board trustee apologizes for playing Scrabble on phone during meeting

A Toronto District School Board trustee photographed playing Scrabble on her smartphone during a tense public meeting with parents apologized on Wednesday for what she called a "momentary lapse in judgment."

Gerri Gershon, trustee for Ward 13, Don Valley West, was at a meeting at John Fisher Junior Public School in the Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue East area on Tuesday night. The topic of discussion was the planned construction of an apartment tower next to the school.

Parents noticed Gershon playing on her phone. One took a picture and posted it to social media, prompting Gershon's apology.

"While I was listening to members of the community during the entirety of last's night's meeting, I obviously should have been listening more intently and for that I truly apologize," Gershon said in an emailed statement to CBC Toronto.

"Despite this momentary lapse in judgment, I want to assure the community that I have been and continue to be a strong advocate for their views on this issue."

'Not paying attention,' said parent 

Parents packed the meeting to express health and safety concerns about the project, which would be metres from the school.

Stavros Rougas, a parent whose son is in grade two at the school, took the photo of Gershon, sitting in the front row at the meeting, and he posted it on Twitter. He said her actions are unbelievable.

"I was taken aback. I took a photo and then I posted it on Twitter. And I actually had to leave the place. I was going to get heated. At a certain point, I just left. The parents said, 'just go and cool down,'" he said.

"I'm a very logical, fair-minded person, but there were some legitimate health and safety concerns that were brought up and the school board trustee, the person who probably has the most authority to do something, is not paying attention."

Rougas said the trustee was playing on her phone for more than a few moments. "Playing on your phone is an extreme example of not listening," he said.

"The parents have legitimate issues and we're not being heard. We need an advocate for the parents of John Fisher Public School and she is not doing that."

Gershon, who called the meeting, also spoke at the event.

At the meeting, parents asked for more information about an agreement being worked out between the board and the developer, KG Group, to lease part of the school yard to the developer during construction.

There are concerns that the construction would create noise, dust and vibrations. The developer wants to use part of the school yard as a staging area.

TDSB trustees are expected to decide next week about the request and parents said they want the vote postponed.