Submitted
The Comox District Teachers’ Association, in conjunction with CUPE 439 and the District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) is hosting an all candidates forum for all school trustee candidates on Monday Nov. 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Best Western Westerly hotel in the banquet room.
All trustees are invited to speak and the public is invited to attend to help inform their decision on who to vote for in the upcoming civic school trustee elections on Saturday Nov. 15.
Unique format
The format of this forum will not be a traditional town hall style. Instead, candidates will be given up to two minutes to address the public. We will then switch to a world café style where each trustee will be sitting at a different round table and the public can choose which trustee to go and talk to. There will be a moderator at each table and the public will have the opportunity to ask questions to trustees in a more intimate setting.
After a set period of time, the public will be asked to move to a different table where the process will be repeated. It is hoped that the public will be better able to hear the trustees that they are able to vote for using this style.
Dialogue with all stakeholders key
The CDTA is looking for school trustees who will commit to talking with all partner groups (teachers, CUPE, parents, principals, senior management, etc.) before making educational/organizational decisions.
Teachers are also looking for trustees to commit to financial transparency and be willing to ask difficult budget questions in public forums.
Trustees who strive to keep money close to students in classrooms is a priority for Comox Valley teachers.
The CDTA is also looking for trustees who will speak up publicly to advocate for a strong public education system in British Columbia.
For more information, please contact Nick Moore, CDTA president at 250-338-1461 or pres71@cdta71.org.