NEWS

Howard Goodman arrested

Officials remained tight-lipped this afternoon as to the circumstances that led to criminal harassment charges being laid against outgoing TDSB trustee Howard Goodman.

Toronto Police arrested the three-term public school trustee this morning and charged him with criminal harassment and forcible confinement, but gave no further details, citing victim privacy concerns.

Police allege Goodman had engaged in ongoing harassment of an unnamed person between fall 2013 to the time of his arrest. At one time he forcibly confined the person, police said.

Goodman did not respond to requests for comment. Calls to other trustees and TDSB officials throughout the day by the Town Crier yielded no further information. However, published reports identify TDSB director of education Donna Quan as the alleged victim, and say the incidents took place on TDSB premises.

Goodman was arrested this morning without incident. Police did not say where the arrest took place.

The 63-year-old veteran trustee, first elected in 2003, did not run for re-election on Oct. 27. Jennifer Arp succeeded him in Ward 8 Eglinton-Lawrence.

Goodman was released from custody on a promise to appear in court Dec. 18.