Dignity, Transparency, and Inclusion: Responding to Questions from Community

1. Primary Caregivers and Parental Information

Do you believe parents are the primary caregivers and educators of their children and should be kept meaningfully informed about significant matters affecting their children at school?

Absolutely. Parents are the primary stakeholders and partners in their children’s lives and education. Healthy, successful outcomes for students are always strongest when families, teachers, and school staff work closely and transparently together.

2. Transparency and Communication Channels

Will you support maximum transparency for parents concerning curriculum, classroom materials, library resources, surveys, presentations, guest speakers, clubs, and special programs?

Absolutely. As an educator, I know firsthand that our schools are at their best when parents and teachers work as a team. True transparency requires clear, reliable communication channels.

Over my career, I've seen how easily information can get lost in the shuffle. If elected, I am fully committed to working with the district to streamline how we share information. We need to ensure that details regarding curriculum, library resources, guest speakers, and school programs are easily accessible, centralized, and clear, so that parents always have a direct window into their child’s education.

3. Advance Notice and Curricular Exemptions

Should parents receive advance notice and given an opportunity to withdraw their child from instruction involving sensitive religious, sexual, or moral subjects?

Our public school system has a duty to provide a safe, inclusive, and evidence-based education to every single child, regardless of their background.

While I completely support keeping parents fully informed about the curriculum, we must ensure that opt-out policies do not inadvertently marginalize or stigmatize students—particularly LGBTQ2S+ youth or children from diverse family structures. The province already allows flexibility for human sexuality components through alternative delivery. Beyond that, a fractured classroom where students are constantly withdrawn from standard lessons disrupts learning and undermines our commitment to inclusion. I stand for a public education system that prepares all students to live and thrive in a diverse world.

One clear benefit of public education is that students are able to meet, collaborate, and build friendships with people of all races and religions. This diversity gives them a distinct advantage in their future careers. For example, a future doctor who has engaged with other cultures, religions, and Indigenous worldviews during their schooling will be better equipped to serve a diverse population. Ultimately, learning alongside peers from all walks of life prepares students to excel in a global job market.

4. Resisting Ideological Mandates

Will you oppose school-board policies that require students or staff to affirm ideological, political, or religious beliefs rather than simply treating every person with dignity and respect?

Absolutely. I firmly believe that the primary foundation of a healthy school system is treating every single student, staff member, and family with absolute dignity, safety, and respect.

As an experienced educator, I know that public schools thrive when they are inclusive, neutral spaces where no student or staff member feels compelled to adopt specific political or ideological beliefs as a condition of learning or working. As a Trustee, my first duty is to govern responsibly within British Columbia law, which includes strictly complying with the BC Human Rights Code and the BC School Act to mandate safe, anti-discriminatory learning environments. Within that provincial framework, I will always oppose policies that create unnecessary division or place undue pressure on personal conscience.

5. Freedom of Religion and Conscience

Do you support freedom of religion and conscience for Christian students and staff, including the right to express lawful beliefs without being punished merely because others disagree?

Absolutely. Freedom of religion and conscience are fundamental Canadian values protected under our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and they must be fully respected within the Langley School District for students and staff of all faiths, including Christian families.

A truly inclusive school system is one where diversity of thought, faith, and conscience is welcomed, not suppressed. No student or staff member should face institutional discipline simply for holding or peacefully expressing deeply held, lawful religious convictions. Simultaneously, our schools have a strict legal duty under the BC Human Rights Code to ensure everyone is protected from bullying or harassment. My years I n the classroom have taught me that these principles do not have to be in conflict; we can firmly protect freedom of conscience while maintaining safety, dignity, and mutual respect for all.

6. Faith-Based Student Groups and Clubs

Will you defend students' ability to form Christian clubs or faith-based student groups on the same terms as other student organizations?

Absolutely.

I fully support the right of students to form Christian clubs and faith-based student groups on the exact same terms as any other student organization.

A truly inclusive school district does not pick and choose which student groups are allowed based on their worldview; it ensures a level playing field for everyone. Essential to this fairness is that all student clubs in our public schools must remain open and inclusive to the entire student body, welcoming any student who wishes to attend, listen, or participate. As a Trustee, I will ensure that Langley School District (SD35) policies are applied fairly and consistently under the BC School Act and the BC Human Rights Code, supporting a safe, respectful environment for all universal student initiatives.

7. Political Neutrality in Public Education

Should schools remain politically neutral rather than promoting partisan causes or controversial political movements?

Absolutely. I firmly believe that public schools must remain politically neutral, non-partisan spaces focused on student achievement, critical thinking, and academic excellence.

As an educator, I know that our classrooms function best when students are taught how to think, not what to think. It is not the role of individual educators or the school system to promote partisan political causes or push personal ideologies onto students. Our duty is to provide a balanced education that encourages youth to analyze facts, evaluate multiple viewpoints objectively, and form independent conclusions. Under the BC School Act, schools are legally obligated to maintain a safe, orderly environment. We can successfully teach core civic values like accountability, democracy, and mutual respect without introducing political polarization into the classroom.

8. Official School Flagpoles

Should school flagpoles be reserved for official governmental or school-board flags rather than flags representing political, ideological, religious, or advocacy causes? Why or why not?

Absolutely. I believe that our official outdoor school flagpoles should be reserved for government and school board flags, such as the National Flag of Canada and the Provincial Flag of British Columbia, which represent every member of our community equally.

I know that our public schools are beautifully diverse, bringing together students and staff from an incredible variety of cultural, religious, and political backgrounds. Our outdoor flagpoles serve as a universal civic symbol, and keeping them dedicated to official government flags reinforces a shared identity, common values, and democratic institutions that unite us all. When a public institution begins choosing which non-governmental or advocacy flags to fly, it can unintentionally create classroom distractions, community polarization, and legal debates over which causes are included or excluded.

At the same time, choosing to reserve our formal flagpoles for civic flags does not mean we ignore inclusion or diversity. Under the BC School Act and the BC Human Rights Code, the Langley School District (SD35) is legally and morally bound to foster a safe, anti-discriminatory environment where every individual is treated with dignity. We build a welcoming culture inside our classrooms through real relationships, fair policies, and excellent support systems—not through symbolic debates over fabric on an outdoor flagpole. As a Trustee, I will support maintaining clear, consistent, and politically neutral flag protocols that respect the entire community.

9. Age-Appropriate Learning Materials

What safeguards should exist to ensure that books and materials made available to children are age-appropriate, particularly where they contain sexual content?

As a public educator, I believe that learning resource selection must always be guided by professional accountability, age-appropriateness, and provincial curriculum alignment.

SD35 has established guidelines for selecting learning resources, ensuring materials match students' developmental stages and support the educational goals set by the Ministry of Education. To strengthen these safeguards, I support maintaining clear, transparent review processes led by qualified teacher-librarians and administrators. Furthermore, our district should always provide an accessible, respectful process for parents to request a formal re-evaluation of any specific library or classroom material if they have concerns about its age-appropriateness.

10. Online Access to Catalogues and Resources

Should parents have easy online access to school-library catalogues and instructional materials?

Absolutely. I completely support maintaining and improving these digital resources. When it comes to classroom instructional materials, I believe in proactive transparency. Parents should have a clear window into the curriculum, upcoming units, and learning resources through modern tools like MyEdBC, school portal sites, and regular teacher updates. This level of access ensures there are no surprises, prevents misunderstandings, and allows parents to better support classroom learning at the kitchen table.

As a Trustee, I will use my experience in education to ensure SD35 continues to prioritize open communication. By making library catalogues and learning resources easily accessible online, we build a foundation of trust, respect parental oversight, and strengthen the vital partnership between home and school.

11. Facility Privacy and Student Dignity

Do you believe biological sex is relevant in some school policies involving privacy, athletics, change rooms, washrooms, and overnight accommodation? How would you protect the dignity and privacy of every student?

As a candidate for School Trustee in the Township of Langley, my focus is clear: decisions in our schools must always be driven by student safety, well-being, and success, rather than political agendas. Every student in our district deserves an equal opportunity to learn in an environment where they feel safe, respected, and valued. My approach is guided by both current legal frameworks and a practical commitment to protecting the dignity of all youth.

In British Columbia, school districts operate under the BC Human Rights Code, which explicitly protects individuals from discrimination based on gender identity and expression. The BC Ministry of Education and Child Care mandates that all school boards maintain inclusive codes of conduct, ensuring transgender and gender-diverse students have access to facilities and school activities that align with their lived gender identity. To ensure that every student’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy is respected, I support practical, inclusive solutions that remove conflict from these spaces:

• Athletics and Activities: I believe in following provincial school sports guidelines that balance fair competition with inclusion, ensuring all students can safely participate in sports that are fundamental to mental health and community building.

  
  

• Overnight Accommodations: For field trips and overnight travel, accommodations should be handled with discretion and care on a case-by-case basis. By working collaboratively with school staff, students, and families, we can arrange private or modified sleeping arrangements that ensure everyone feels secure and respected without singling anyone out.

My experience as a public educator and a local parent, I know firsthand that schools function best when we focus on practical classroom resources and support systems rather than division.

12. Identity Requests and Parental Notification

What is your position on parental notification when a minor child asks school personnel to make significant changes concerning the child's identity, name, or other personal matters?

As a parent whose children graduated from the Langley School District and an educator with years of experience in the public school system, I believe deeply that parents/guardians are the primary stakeholders and partners in their children’s education. Healthy, successful outcomes for students are always strongest when families, teachers, and school staff work closely together. My position on parental notification is guided by a balanced commitment to communication, student safety, and current legal guidelines:

• Fostering Open Family Partnerships: Schools should never seek to intentionally exclude parents from significant milestones or changes in a child’s life. In the vast majority of cases, when a student expresses a desire for significant changes at school, the role of educators should be to support and guide that student toward having open, honest conversations with their families.

  
  

• Prioritizing Student Well-Being and Safety: While parental involvement is the goal, our frontline staff face complex realities. In rare and exceptional circumstances where a student expresses fear of immediate harm or severe distress at home if information is disclosed prematurely, school personnel must act with careful professional judgment to protect the minor, involving counsellors to help build a safe path forward for family reconciliation. Blanket, politicized mandates often remove the nuance required to handle these sensitive situations safely.

  
  

• Respecting Official Records and Legal Guidelines: In British Columbia, there is a clear distinction between informal classroom requests and official school changes. Any permanent or formal change to a minor’s legal name or gender identity on official student records, report cards, and ministry files requires parent or guardian involvement and legal documentation. Our district must strictly adhere to provincial legislation and the BC Human Rights Code to ensure we are operating legally and transparently.

Our community schools function best when we keep political agendas out of the boardroom and focus on collaborative, common-sense solutions that strengthen—rather than strain—the vital bridge between home and school.