Abolish School Boards

Submitted to North Shore OUTLOOK, Oct 28/08 for their Election Issue.

1. Why are you running for election?

During this intense election period (Federal, US, local), and the economic crisis, I see a worrisome trend — politicians calling for more government to correct problems and the public lapping it up.

Where did this kind of thinking come from?
 
I see this blind faith in government as eroding and usurping our freedoms.  That we have a government monopoly public education system is the main reason for this thinking.

I’m running to raise the alarm that public schools are training a placid, uncritical, and dependent citizenry. This is all contrary to human nature and this social engineering has gone too far.
 
2. What is your professional background?

BA (Psychology)

3. What are the important issues facing the school district that you are
interested in addressing if elected?
 
- Honor instrumentality in the lives of people — individuality vs collective mind-sets

- Local school autonomy, parents governing their own schools.

- Abolish school boards which rob parents of effectiveness, instead channeling them into fund-raising.

- Make sure students develop solid academic skills and critical thinking.

 
4. Official campaign slogan

AUTONOMY

Published in the Outlook Online, was the following:

Although most school board candidates are hoping to serve out their three years, one West Van trustee hopeful hopes to work herself out of a job.

Tunya Audain, another federal Libertarian, is running on a platform to dismantle the local school board. At her website, abolish-school-boards.org, Audain explains that the school board is an unnecessary fourth level of government that centralizes too much power in too few hands.

Instead, Audain promotes more of an independent school model where parents look after their child’s school.
Audain, who last ran for school board in 1975, is also taking aim at adult classes run by the school board including quilting and yoga. No word from Audain on where classes such as Jewellery Junkie 101 and Double Nine Patch Quilt should go if the school board is abolished.

sneufeld@northshoreoutlook.com