Trustee Blackburn faces big battle in heated Zone 3 race
School board elections are not usually barnburners. In fact, in Ottawa-Carleton becoming a trustee is often as easy as putting your name on the ballot.
Fifteen of the 35 trustees on the region’s four school boards have already been acclaimed because no one is running against them in the fall municipal election.
Then there is Zone 3 in the English public school board.
Four people are running to unseat outspoken trustee Donna Blackburn in Barrhaven/Knoxdale-Merivale.
There’s an unusual amount of intrigue in the race, from backroom shenanigans by a fellow trustee to heated exchanges on a Facebook chat group for Barrhaven moms.
Blackburn says she has wide support in her zone. “I will win. It won’t even be close.”
Her four opponents are promising everything from improving the district’s mediocre math scores to consulting more with parents, fighting provincial changes to the sex-ed curriculum and improving “equity and inclusion” for students.
Blackburn also faces opposition from a fellow trustee.
Christine Boothby is running for re-election in Kanata, but says she hopes to find time to campaign for one of Blackburn’s opponents.
Trustees have filed five complaints against Blackburn of bad behaviour under the board’s code of conduct. Blackburn in turn has filed two complaints against fellow trustees.
“I would like somebody new to be in Barrhaven,” says Boothby.
One of the complaints — Blackburn sent a fellow trustee a personal text accusing her of “buying ” her adopted children — was “hair-curling, awful behaviour,” said Boothby.
“I’d like our board to not be in the newspaper for negative things next term,” she said.
Blackburn apologized on two of the complaints, and disputed others, including two filed by Boothby against her.
The “code of conducting” she has endured over the last two years is a witch-hunt designed to silence her opinions, says Blackburn, who prides herself on telling it like it is. “I’m not aggressive. I’m assertive.”
She’s certainly direct. In the course of a half-hour conversation on Thursday, Blackburn called one trustee an “idiot,” another one “useless” and one of her opponents in the election “crazy.”
As for Boothby, says Blackburn, she is “unhinged” in relation to an unusual turn of events.
Boothby called her opponent in the Kanata zone, Adam Grodinsky, and asked him to step down so she could be acclaimed. Boothby said she made the request because she thought the board needed experienced trustees, given all the changes afoot, including a new government in Queen’s Park, the retirement of the board’s director of education, and the possibility of many new trustees. But Boothby said she also wanted to clear up time to campaign with one of Blackburn’s opponents.
Grodinsky declined to leave the race, and a third candidate registered at the last minute.
Boothby says she has no idea if she was out of turn.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I am not a political person at all. This is so completely out of my comfort zone . ... I don’t understand a lot of the campaigns, the politics, which is frankly what some people say they like about me. But I don’t do politicking things. So I don’t know.”
There was also a sixth person in the race, Beth Lawless, who announced her candidacy on a Facebook chat group for Barrhaven moms in June. “I grew up here, and I’m looking forward to discussing education with you!” she posted.
Blackburn posted a comment telling Lawless that “one-issue candidates ruin school boards” and accusing her of running to “protect a certain segment of parents,” apparently those who oppose changes to programs for gifted students.
“What is your position on gifted programming?” wrote Blackburn. “Why are you running? What makes you think you would be a better trustee than I am?”
Lawless criticized Blackburn for a “complete refusal to work collaboratively with the other trustees or even members of the public with whom you do not agree.”
As the posts became more heated, one participant noted: “As a voter, I just want to tell you both that this thread is convincing me to vote for neither of you.” Lawless did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but her name was not on the final list of candidates.
Blackburn says she is frustrated that publicity over her behaviour has eclipsed discussion of important issues such as programming for the gifted. After some parents complained, the board shelved a staff report that recommended reducing the number of segregated classes for gifted children. Staff said the change was in tune with educational practices elsewhere in the province and would save money on busing.
She won’t pander to “special interest” parent groups, Blackburn promises. “The gifted people hate me,” she says. “I wear that as a badge of honour.”
Blackburn has taken stances that are unpopular in her zone, such as voting in favour of school closures. One parent who led the losing fight against closing one of them, Century Public, supports Blackburn anyway.
“She does not sugar-coat anything, which I believe is what makes her good at her job,” wrote Gemma Nicholson in one of the testimonials from supporters posted on Blackburn’s website.
ZONE 3 CANDIDATES:
Donna Blackburn: The two-term trustee says she will “continue to be an outspoken advocate for sound decision-making based on evidence,” will not pander to special interest groups, and will make fiscal responsibility and fair and equitable distribution of limited resources her top priority while working to ensure trustees focus on issues, not day-to-day operations. Patricia Kmiec: A university professor with a specialty in antioppression and equity issues, she promises to lobby to retain the current sex-ed curriculum, strengthen commitment to neurodiversity and the mental and physical health of students though such measures as redesigning classrooms, and implement recommendations for inclusive practices related to minority language speakers, religious diversity and anti-racism. Amanda Purdy: Currently working as a photographer, her priorities are improving the district’s mediocre math scores, ensuring children are given a 30-minute lunch period so they have time to eat, making school yards safer with more adult supervision and fences, promoting air conditioning in all schools and hiring more educational assistants. Alex Sivasambu: The former high-tech engineer now working as a real estate broker says he will emphasize the importance of inclusiveness in diverse and multicultural school communities and focus on mental health issues, anti-bullying and making sure curriculum related to technology is up to date.
Amy Wellings: The self-employed consultant specializing in human resources and team leadership who started a “Barrhaven Kids Spreading Kindness” group says she will work to integrate kindness, social justice, mental health, well-being and equity, while consulting with parents and maintaining fiscal responsibility.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS
When are they? The same day as the municipal elections, Oct. 22, 2018. Your ballot will include school board trustees in your zone.
Who’s running? There are 35 trustee seats at the region’s four school boards: English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic
Which board do I vote for? Voters are automatically eligible to vote for the English public board unless they take steps to support one of the other boards by contacting the Municipal Property Assessment Corp.