As more candidates step forward for municipal elections in the fall, let’s not forget that another vital group of seats are up for grabs that are responsible for our most treasured local resource.
While many people will go out to vote for their choice for Mayor, or Councillor, I am often discouraged at how many people don’t pay enough attention to the elections for School Board Trustees.
Their role within the education system is vital, and the issues they face including transportation, governance, school revitalization and replacement and educational directives are both important and foundational.
I would also like to remind them and everyone who votes this fall, that none that matters if the students they look after aren’t safe.
Wednesday afternoon, a 17-year-old girl was charged with robbery with a weapon after they confronted another student at an east end secondary school (over a piece of pizza).
This kind of incident isn’t typical, but it’s not nearly as rare as it should be.
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, only made partially less terrible by the fact that there were no serious injuries.
What is does remind me though, is that we spend a lot of time talking about many different issues at local school board meetings, but I rarely hear discussions on student safety (which, to be perfectly frank, is one of the only issues that really matters).
As I listen with great interest to Trustee candidates over the next few months, I would encourage you and everyone to discover where they stand on this issue – where the lessons learned by students aren’t limited to a safe classroom environment.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
