My Mission Statement on BCSTA Website

For the full statement see BCSTA site here.  Below is the mission statement as I see it.

 What in your experience and qualifications prepares you for the role of school trustee?

I have considerable background in parent advocacy. (See my website)

I believe in self-government, self-reliance and self-responsibility. That’s why I see great danger when educators, trustees, and others persuade parents that they should leave education to the experts.. Parents should not only be empowered to participate in education decision-making, they should also not be disempowered. Far too many eager, energetic parents are channeled into fund-raising instead of attending to the quality of programs and staffing at their schools.

Not only are parents enfeebled in their duty to advocate for their children’s rights, but young people are cheated of good modeling. How do they feel when their parents are made to feel inadequate in school or school board relations? How do they feel when they see their parents constantly fund-raising with the lame excuse that there’s not enough money?

During these intense economic and political times I discern a very worrisome trend. I see politicians calling for more government and the public seemingly acquiescing.

It’s time to stand up to the growth of this collectivist mind-set. School boards and the government monopoly public education system must be examined for their contributory role in government dependency. We need to examine the nature of “civics” lessons and see how students learn about the precious freedoms our forefathers fought for and the dangers we face in relinquishing our individuality and our freedoms.

What steps will you take to work with other trustees to improve student achievement?

1. Promote parent governance in each school – autonomy, budgeting, staffing, quality, programming, as done in independent schools
2. Adopt parent rights in education: The Right to:
- Choice
- Information
- Be heard & consulted
- Special assistance
- Involvement
- Safeguards
- Appeal
3. Adopt Anti-Indoctrination Guidelines for controversial topics in schools — global warming, social justice.
4. Have ALL board cheques published online for transparency.
5. Transfer all Community Courses to Recreation Commission.
6. Compare costs of administration in SD#45 with others. (Are these costs still the highest in BC?)
7. Consider such topics as charter schools, vouchers, and tuition tax credits.
8. Solicit private scholarships for special needs students who would benefit from specialized schooling out-of-district.
9. Compile research into the damage that choicelessness and lack of parent involvement does to families and education.
10. Question the international student business. Some claim this yields up to 15% to income. Isn’t this best left to private business?
> 11. Research teacher training in BC. Is it adequate for today, especially for special needs?
> 12. Explore how civic education can better prepare students for independent thinking and self-sufficiency.
> 13. Convene provincial discussions on a) The Relevancy of School Boards Today – Should They be Abolished, Reinvented, or Remain? and b) Should we be Concerned About Mission Drift in BC Education?