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Meet your trustees!
Over the next three years, British Columbia’s school trustees will be working for you – and with you – to improve student achievement
In the 2008 municipal elections, you voted for the board of education that would represent the best interests of your students and community. Now, as their three-year term of office begins, BCSTA is proud to present all the school trustees of our province to you. We encourage you to take this chance to meet them online – they’ll be very eager over the coming months to work with you on improving student achievement in your community.
To find school trustee election results in your area simply select your school district and click the Search button. If you are not sure of your district, please consult this map.
BCSTA welcomes questions and comments. Please contact Carolyn Warner, Director of Communications.
Election stats show higher awareness and involvement
More trustee candidates ran in the 2008 municipal election – and there were fewer acclamations, election statistics show.
Reflecting an increased appreciation for the importance of boards of education in positively influencing students’ – and society’s – future, the trustee election statistics reveal that total declared candidates numbered 668, up from 562 in 2005. As well, acclaimed trustees numbered 114, significantly down from the acclaimed number of 129 in 2005.
In other trustee election statistics, overall there were 668 total declared candidates for the 420 trustee seats. Incumbents who ran and were re-elected: 276. New trustees elected: 144. Incumbent trustees who chose not to run: 91. Incumbents who ran but were defeated: 36.
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Tunya Audain
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Party Affiliation: Libertarian
Email: tunyasez@hotmail.com
Website: http://abolish-school-boards.org
Telephone: 604-926-9081
Fax:
Mailing Address:
Electoral Area: West Vancouver
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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?
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