For students to succeed, York board needs to change
As the new chair for the York Region District School Board, I approach my job with a simple goal: always aiming to do what is best for students. In fact, I initially got involved in the school board by advocating for my own two children.
For the past year or so, along with many others, I have been deeply troubled by what is occurring at the board. Our board faces a series of controversies, including issues around systemic racism and Islamophobia, and concerns about stewardship of financial resources.
Since I was elected the new chair in December, I have sought to be upfront with the public and to strike a new, collaborative tone, while aggressively seeking to drive meaningful change.
Recently, I welcomed a move by the minister of education to appoint a review team to examine our board, and I eagerly look forward to their important recommendations next month. This will be a critical step toward change for the better.
That said, we’re not content to simply sit back and await the report; instead, we have already started the hard work necessary to address these serious issues and rebuild public confidence. In my brief time leading the board, we implemented some preliminary changes, which we hope demonstrate our ongoing commitment to creating an environment of inclusiveness and equity.
For instance, our board meetings now begin with an acknowledgement that we are meeting on indigenous lands and we established four working groups of community members to provide trustees with recommendations to address antiblack racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and classism. We are also offering equity and sensitivity training to all trustees and senior staff.
Beyond addressing the issues related to equity, our overall commitment to transparency is something we are seeking to improve to ensure we are accountable to the public we serve. To that end, we reinstated the public forum at our monthly meetings to ensure there is always a means for the community to raise their concerns directly to the trustees. I’ve also been attending community meetings to hear from parents and we hosted two community consultations in Georgina last week following the resignation of former trustee Nancy Elgie.
These measures are just the start of the changes we know we must enact; we are, furthermore, seriously reviewing our various policies to ensure they deliver the outcomes the public expects, particularly related to international travel. Further still, we are working to create a formalized means to investigate concerns on an ongoing basis through an independent integrity commissioner.
I am acutely aware of the deep pain felt by many members of the community because the board is seen to have failed to address these systemic problems. I realize the measures I just outlined are only the beginning of the changes we must pursue.
We need to pursue those changes, together; we need to do everything we can to work with parents, students, staff and my fellow trustees to make this right. I recognize this process will take time; I am impatient to see these important improvements realized.
We owe it to our students to ensure the school board is one they and their parents can be confident about. Our students consistently excel in academic measures and in sports, and I am so proud of how they embrace inclusivity. All of us responsible for their education must follow their example, and create an environment where no one ever doubts our values of equity and inclusivity.
As we rebuild trust and respect with our community, we will undoubtedly face more challenges and have difficult conversations. As we endeavour to overcome these challenges we will keep one thing in mind: our children, and their futures, are counting on us, and we owe it to them to do better.
I am acutely aware of the deep pain felt by many members of the community because the board is seen to have failed to address these systemic problems