FORMER HWDSB CHAIR · WARD 7 TRUSTEE
In 2022–23, staff filed 4,330 violence reports, more than double the previous year. In 2025, her husband, MP John-Paul Danko, called for the program’s return. [1] [4]
FOLLOW THE RECORD ↓OUR JUDGMENT ON THE RECORD
HAMILTON’S SCHOOLS DESERVE BETTER.
She voted to end the police liaison program. Staff violence reports later surged. Then her own husband called for its return. In our view, ending the program was poor judgment, and Former Chair Danko owes families answers.
EXAMINE THE RECORD ↓“Children were harmed
in this decision.”
Personal View Only: Of Former Chair Danko’s decision. The cited figures establish the timeline and reported increases; they do not establish that ending the program caused specific harm to children.
01 / THE SCHOOL SAFETY RECORD
THE DECISION
Former Chair Danko voted to terminate the school police liaison program. She was vice-chair at the time. [3]
The board voted on June 22 to end the program and explore replacement supports. Reporting described concerns that some students felt fear or anxiety around police. [3]
THE REPORTS
Staff filed more than twice as many workplace violence reports as the previous year. Of those reports, more than 80% involved no injury; 499 required first aid. [1]
Union leaders pointed to shortages of staff, funding and specialist support. [1]
THE CALL TO BRING IT BACK
On October 16, the Bay Observer reported that MP John-Paul Danko called for the school police liaison program to return. [4]
Read the report ↗Our view: this decision deserves scrutiny. Former Chair Danko supported removing a school safety program. Families deserve an explanation of what replaced it and whether those supports worked. The later increase in violence reports is documented; the available figures do not establish how much, if any, was caused by ending the police program. School violence was also a concern before 2020.
02 / BEYOND THE SAFETY HEADLINES
Safety. Learning. Finances.
The issues raised in the flyer deserve answers.
Grade 3 math
Met the provincial standard
Grade 6 math
Fewer than half met the standard
Grade 3 reading: 70% met the standard. These are 2024–25 results. The board reported gains of 3 points in Grade 3 math and 4 points in Grade 6 math over the prior year. [5]
These results identify achievement gaps; they do not show year-over-year decline.
Revised projected deficit
2025–26, reported June 2026
Estimated deficit
2026–27
Staff positions
reduced
The prior $4.6M deficit forecast rose to $8.1M. Staffing reductions included nearly 70 teaching and 145 non-teaching positions. [6]
Board-wide figures under subsequent leadership. They are not presented as decisions made by Former Chair Danko as chair.
Suspension events
2022–23, affecting 2,598 students
Suspensions rose in 2022–23, then fell the following year. Suspension events include multiple reasons and are a different measure from staff violence reports. [2]
03 / READ THE REPORTING
Headlines link to independent reporting. Article access may require a subscription. News outlets do not endorse this site.
OUR VIEW
She voted to end the program. Staff violence reports later surged.
Her husband called for its return. Former Chair Danko owes families answers.
THE SUPPORTING RECORD
CBC: reporting on school violence and Devan Selvey ↗. This concerns events before the 2020 program decision and is not presented as an outcome of that decision.