Contrary to what some nameless online commentators have claimed, Alison McVeigh wants people to know that she doesn鈥檛 make $32,000 a year or anything close to it as a trustee on the 91原创 Board of Education.

She didn鈥檛 accept a pay raise, either.

An indignant McVeigh spoke out during the board鈥檚 Jan. 25 meeting, saying she was 鈥渃ompletely appalled by the vitriol and viciousness of the comments and the number of inaccurate and false statements made by individuals [in online blogs and talkback forums], mostly anonymously.鈥�

McVeigh said she makes just over $19,000 with no benefits package as a trustee.

She added that she and other trustees on the board actually voted to rescind a Dec. 2010 pay hike.

鈥淓veryone is entitled to an opinion,鈥� McVeigh said.

鈥淣o one is entitled to spread lies.鈥�

She also took issue with a comment posted on one Vancouver newspaper website this month, which claimed 91原创 trustees refused to participate in online training sessions offered by the B.C. School Trustees Association.

McVeigh said the statement was false and 鈥渟landerous.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely astonished me that people hide behind a computer and say whatever they want 鈥� whether it is true or not,鈥� McVeigh said.

鈥淲here has civility gone?鈥�

Trustee Cecelia Reekie agreed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just incredibly unfair that people can say whatever they want without giving their name,鈥� Reekie said after McVeigh spoke.

鈥淚t is hurtful and it is destructive. It doesn鈥檛 move us in the right direction.鈥�