Strong Public Education

It is my strong belief that public education is where every student belongs. This means feeling safe and knowing it’s ok to be themselves; and the people in their school community care about them as a learner and as a person. 

SUPPORT FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS - I was proud to vote in favour of our Division Strategic Plan, including priority 2 “advance action towards anti-racism and reconciliation.”  Examples of living this out include:

• participating in optional professional learning on sessions related to Truth and Reconciliation

• voting in favour of several locally developed courses approved by the Board of Trustees including Beading, Indigenous Studies, Medicine Wheel and more

• voting in favour of advocacy for Jordan’s Principle funding

• participating in school events, as invited, that focus on celebrating truth, reconciliation or Indigenous themes

2SLGBTQIA+ STUDENTS - Can we not all just agree that every student belongs, and their ability to participate in the school community shouldn’t be reduced to whether they are a boy, girl, non-binary, trans or otherwise? Also, can we not accept that kids need to learn accurate facts about their bodies, consent, and sexuality? These are approved topics in Alberta’s provincial curriculum. I’d submit they are very important topics if we want our kids to make healthy and responsible choices in their lives.

I supported a motion to advocate for the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ students in response to proposed amendments to the Education Act. You can read those letters here and here. Our Board took that advocacy to the Alberta School Boards Association and it was approved by members: BE IT RESOLVED THAT sexual health education remain an “opt out” option for parents in Alberta and that school board autonomy be respected with regards to their own sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression policies. 

You can find me speaking to that advocacy, as Board Chair, on behalf of the Board in this and this CBC article.

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UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS - I put forward a motion which was supported by the Board of Trustees regarding undocumented students. 

SCHOOL CALENDAR AND INCLUSIVE HOLIDAYS - Students from multiple faiths and cultures shouldn’t have to choose between celebrating with friends and family or missing an exam. I advocated for and voted in favour of a revised calendar policy for EPSB that emphasized that professional development or other days without classes for students should be placed on days of significance. I am particularly proud of the year that while the Province had placed June diploma examinations on Eid, our Board, through administration, requested the examination date be moved and Alberta Education did move the date. I have heard countless times how grateful families who celebrate non-Christian holidays are for this change to board policy around setting the school year calendar. You can learn more about how Edmonton Public Schools sets the calendar here. In addition, I championed the development of a multi-faith calendar to help guide schools in raising awareness of various holidays that might be important to students and staff within their buildings. Does this mean students, families and staff can’t still celebrate Christmas, Easter or other holidays from the Christian tradition? Absolutely not. It just means we are working to acknowledge and recognize the many wonderful traditions and holidays celebrated by families and staff at Edmonton Public Schools.

What’s next? 

For students to learn, they must feel safe and that they belong. That is why I believe the Board of Trustees must continue to uphold this value of belonging for all students into the next term. I also believe that Edmonton Public Schools must continue its work to ensure that no student experiences discrimination, of any kind.