The Bluewater District School Board imposed sanctions on Trustee Derrick Long of Brockton and South Bruce for breaching the board's Code of Conduct.
The board made the decision at its regular meeting on April 15, following an investigation by Integrity Commissioner Michael Maynard. The investigation found that Long had repeatedly attempted to access his board email from Florida between November 11 and 18, 2024, contravening board policy that prohibits international access to its email system for security reasons.
According to Maynard's report, Long made multiple failed attempts to access his email and eventually used a VPN to bypass the board's geolocation restrictions.
"Trustee Long failed in this duty—intentionally," Maynard wrote, highlighting the potential risk to the board's IT security.
The board's sanctions include a formal censure, barring Long from attending the June 17 regular board meeting, removing him from all board committees for 90 days starting June 1, and replacing him on the Audit Committee for the remainder of the 2024–2025 term.
The board emphasized the importance of trustees upholding high standards of behaviour and accountability, stating that Long's actions had negatively impacted staff, trustees, and students, leading to undue stress and a loss of morale.
This is the second time in less than a year that Long has been sanctioned for breaching the board’s Code of Conduct. Long was censured in November 2024.
Trustee Long has not publicly commented on the latest sanctions.