COPE’s four Trustees are ready to work to undo ABC’s harm, restore relationships with stakeholders, and fight for better across the Vancouver school district.
VANCOUVER BC - A new School Board will be sworn in today, Monday, Nov. 2nd at 5p.m. at the Vancouver School Board main offices at 1580 W. Broadway.
With four Trustees elected, COPE has the most seats on the School Board for the first time since 2002. They will be joined on the Board by progressive allies, with three Trustees from OneCity and two from the Vancouver Greens.
This historic progressive sweep of the School Board shows that voters have rejected ABC’s record of cuts and misplaced priorities.
The COPE School Board team will work to undo years of harm and neglect, restore meaningful public and stakeholder participation at the Board, and fight to improve public education in Vancouver.
“For the past four years, it’s been an ongoing battle opposing the decisions made by former trustees,” says incumbent trustee Suzie Mah. “The long term lease of Fleming Elementary’s basketball courts to a private developer, the closure of Carleton Elementary, and the many cuts to key staff positions who support our most vulnerable students have been devastating for our education community. I am excited to work with my newly elected COPE team to bring back trustee decision making that puts our students first.”
“With Suzie’s experience and a progressive majority with a clear mandate, we're ready to get to work right away to undo the harm of ABC’s misplaced priorities,” says newly elected trustee Derrick O’Keefe.
“I first became involved with the VSB as a parent representative and an advocate for public education in 2006,” says newly elected trustee Gwen Giesbrecht. “Over the past two decades there have been consistent budget shortfalls to support public education. COPE has in the past had a strong voice at the VSB, speaking out against inadequate funding, and in support of fully funded, inclusive, equitable, excellent public education. I am so pleased to be part of the team bringing that voice back to the VSB.”
“For more than a decade, I have fought alongside parents and communities for accountability and transparency at the Vancouver School Board,” says newly elected trustee Melanie Cheng. “I led the inquiry into school property subdivisions that helped save Bruce Field and challenged the Board’s decision to lease Fleming Elementary’s basketball courts for private development. I also led the campaign to save Carleton Elementary from closure. These battles have shown just how important it is for communities to have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their schools. This election is a historic opportunity to turn years of community advocacy into meaningful change, rebuild public trust, and put students, families, and communities first.”
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