Protect Literacy

I believe truth, trust, and transparency must be fundamental to how the WRDSB is governed. A publicly funded board ought to serve the public –the people. For years, I have done the work — communicating with teachers, principals, senior staff, attending meetings, researching and impacting policy and decisions, filing Freedom of Information requests, delegating before trustees, serving on parent committees, organizing community events, meeting with elected officials, and speaking with and connecting with thousands of parents, educators, staff, and citizens. ​That experience has shown me where change is needed. ​Good governance requires more than celebrating accomplishments. Trustees must be willing to ask difficult questions, examine results, scrutinize decisions, and ensure that parents, educators and the public have a meaningful voice in the process. ​Parents should not have to agree with the Board in order to have their perspectives heard and acknowledged. Safeguarding our children from age-inappropriate content ought not be negotiable. Educators should be supported to focus on effective teaching. Students should be challenged to develop knowledge, skills, confidence, curiosity, and the ability to think critically for themselves, with the resilience to get back up when they fall short. I cannot, in good conscience, nor expect other families to, continue placing our children, our trust, and our public dollars into a system without doing everything I can to help ensure that system is worthy of all three. The challenges placed before me—and the solutions I have helped pursue—have given me a sense of responsibility to use that experience to help restore a public education system that earns the trust of the people it serves. Because public education should be a system families choose with confidence, educators are honoured to serve in, and students are better for having experienced.