REGINA - The hot topics in education were up for discussion at an all-candidates forum for Regina Public School board candidates on Friday night.
The event at the Artesian was put on by the Regina Public Schools’ Teachers Association, and invites were sent to all candidates running in the seven subdivisions. In the end only ten agreed to attend, including most sitting incumbents who are seeking re-election.
Those on stage included incumbents Ted Jaleta (sub. 1), Tracey MacMurchy (sub. 2), Adam Hicks (sub 3), Sarah Cummings-Truszkowski (sub. 5), and Lacey Weekes (sub.7), as well as candidates Kale MacLellan (sub. 2), Jason Agar (sub. 2), Tolu Folarin (sub. 4), Brandon Shea-Mutala (sub. 6), and Douglas Armbruster (sub. 6.).
Conspicuous by their absence were most of the candidates of the highly-publicized “RCAAN” slate - candidates backed by the Regina Civic Action Awareness Network.
The organization has put up a slate in opposition to the policies of the current Board, with candidates supporting pro-family and pro-parental inclusion policies while opposing the various gender-identity and diversity, equity and inclusion policies currently in place.
One candidate on the forum stage, MacMurchy, threw down the gauntlet directly by addressing the “elephant in the room — the RCAAN agenda.”
“Even though none of them are actually bothered to show up tonight, we know what RCAAN is trying to do. RCAAN isn't fooling anyone with the language, like ‘back to basics,’” she said.
One of the candidates said to be supported by RCAAN, Armbruster, clarified at the forum that “they have endorsed me” but “I’m not a part of RCAAN.” (He has stated on his website he is an independent candidate.)
For most of the candidates who did show up, they received a positive reception at the event, which included a large audience of teachers involved in the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. Despite the warm welcome, audience members were also eager to pose tough questions to the candidates on stage on where they stood.
One hot topic was the role of the Saskatchewan School Board Association alongside the province during negotiations during the recent labour dispute with STF.
Candidates took turns venting criticism of the SSBA during that process, complaining that they weren’t being kept in the loop or consulted. Candidates were also critical that the labour negotiations were not kept confidential.
“I just want you to know that our board did speak up. We do not put up with the status quo,” said Cummings-Truszkowski, the current Board Chair.
“The process was not great. I can agree with that and we were put in a very difficult situation. I hope that everyone has learned from that and will change how collective bargaining happens and how we are involved differently.”
Another hot topic was the province’s Bill 137 — the province’s “pronouns” legislation requiring parental consent for name changes in school for those under age 16.
For the most part, candidates on stage took turns bashing Bill 137, saying the bill was not needed or wanted while also citing more pressing needs in education.
Jaleta was one of several candidates who said he was personally against it, but went even further to blast Scott Moe’s announcement this week that a directive would be issued if his government was re-elected to stop biological boys from using changerooms of biological girls.
“It's shameful,” said Jaleta, pointing to other education issues. “Paying attention to overcrowding, funding, that's what we should be talking about… shame, Mr. Moe.”
In the end organizers were pleased with the turnout, which filled the Artesian hall. They hopesthe forum would lead to more interest in education issues and more turnout for the school board elections.
“It was fantastic,” said Nick Day, teachers and part of the political action committee that organized the event about the turnout. “It shows that the public has an appetite to have more influence and have more say in what’s going on in our public schools, so I hope, yeah, it’s a start of moee democratic engagement in the public schools.”
The public school board election takes place Nov. 13.
