Thursday 2 October 2014


Submitted to the Alaska Highway News on October 2, 2014

Wanted:  Public School Advocates

Supporters of a strong public education system are urged to consider lending their voices to the cause by letting their name stand for election to the position of school trustee in School District #60 this fall. The Civic Elections taking place on November 15th will be electing candidates for an unprecedented 4-year term, and candidates must declare their intention to run by October 10th.

An important role of a school trustee is to be the voice of the public on education issues.  That public voice was absent in our district during the recent job action, and we want to encourage candidates to run who are willing to speak publicly on behalf of public education.

While there is labor peace in education for the time being, the issue of underfunding remains very much at the forefront.  BC remains far below the national average of per pupil spending by government, and the continued lack of services and resources still plagues our students. Parents have called for more support for students and classrooms, and trustees have the obligation to pursue these resources on behalf of their constituents.  

We need citizens who are passionate about making improvements to public education to take on this challenge. The provincial government has not demonstrated the willingness to adequately fund the public education system, and only reached a contract with teachers because of public pressure.  We need to elect trustees who will embody the voice of the public and maintain that pressure.  If you value public education, please consider running for School Trustee. Our children and grandchildren deserve a better-funded public education system.

Kevin Frankham, Local Elections Chair
Michele Wiebe, President Peace River North Teachers’ Association

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