BCSTA Director Re-Election
My name is Christine Younghusband and I am proud to announce that I am running for re-election on the 2015/16 BC School Trustees’ Association (BCSTA) Board of Directors for the position of Director. I am a mom, educator, doctoral student, and school trustee. I have 20 years experience in the field of education. I am passionate about and will continue to advocate for quality public education in BC.
Education is a right. Quality public education is a must. We are faced with another challenging year in BC Public Education. The organization has endured many challenges and changes, locally and provincially, and frustrated and disheartened given some recent events. Yet, locally elected boards of education continue to “stand up” and be the pillar of leadership and local advocacy in our communities.
Doing more with less cannot be BC Public Education’s tagline anymore. The extended labour dispute with teachers, $40/day, and the absence of trustee oversight on the BCPSEA Board put extraordinary stress on boards, communities, and families. I am thankful for reaching a bargained 5-year collective agreement with our teachers and having two trustees at the table, but the false hope of “business as usual” escapes boards with recent announcements regarding adult education, the admin savings plan, and Bill 11.
More so than ever, Boards of Education need to stand together as a collective provincial voice to advocate for BC public education. We face more political unrest and financial uncertainty. We need to speak our truth, be clear with our voice, and take leadership to advocate for our students in our communities who attend public schools and for the public good. There is no surplus in BC public education, yet there is a vision for transformation in the BCEd Plan. We need to move forward that best serves for our students, our communities, and BC public education.
If re-elected as BCSTA Director, I will to listen to you… member boards of BCSTA… and have your voice at the table to “stand up” for BC public education. I am seeking your support at the upcoming BCSTA AGM. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 604-741-3876 (cell) or [email protected].
You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to seeing you soon at the AGM in April.