Accidental School Trustee

By Katherine Wagner

While working in the Northern Ontario wilderness, I learned about floating bogs. Like quicksand, floating bogs mimic stable land. An unsuspecting person can fall through and be swallowed up before realizing the danger.

In 1994, I was an unsuspecting mother with two preschoolers.

After carefully researching the options, I chose to send my sons to a Montessori preschool. I then turned my attention to choosing an elementary school.

It seemed logical to begin by calling the school district.

“I have a child entering Kindergarten and am interested in information about your elementary schools…”

The friendly woman on the phone quickly interjected with, “Our schools are all excellent. Your child will have a wonderful experience at the one in your neighbourhood.” Pleasantly but firmly she dealt with me, and hung up before I had a chance to ask my questions.

At an aerobics class later that day, I vented my frustration. Another mom, Susan, related a similarly off-putting experience and suggested we visit schools together. Later, she also shared several newspaper clippings about a group of parents in Surrey lobbying for a ‘traditional’ elementary school.

One of the articles mentioned an information meeting which Susan attended. She brought back a two-inch thick stack of photocopied articles and studies.

It was fascinating reading. I finally felt I was doing my parental due diligence to prepare for the K-12 education of my children.

However, the more I read the more questions I had. I contacted several educators mentioned in the reports. I talked to everyone I could think of.

Five school visits did not ease my growing apprehension. Twice, despite introducing myself by name, I had to endure being called “mom” throughout the tour. When I inquired about learning expectations for Kindergarten, one Principal didn’t miss a beat when informing me, “All moms’ think their child is advanced.” Huh? I hadn’t uttered a word about my child beyond the fact he would soon be Kindergarten aged.

A small group of parents met over coffee to discuss common concerns. The Information Age was emerging. We contemplated the education our children would need to prepare for a global knowledge society. We wondered whether public schools would willingly change to meet the challenge.

We decided to hold a town hall meeting to gauge parental interest in additional public school choices. Neil Godin, an expert on the future of work and education, was invited to speak.

Advertising consisted of several notices on public bulletin boards and a request for a free “community calendar” listing in both local newspapers.

Crossing our fingers, we hoped two dozen parents might attend. A political bog lurked, but we were blissfully unaware.

A reporter called and asked a few questions. Did I mind having my name and phone number printed? I naively assumed the paper was simply confirming the accuracy of the community calendar submission.

With a toddler balanced on one hip, I propped the screen door with a knee and bent to scoop the newspaper from the front step. I barely noticed as the door slammed into my foot: The details of our “traditional school” meeting occupied half of the front page.

The ringing phone startled me back into the house. That call marked the beginning of a two year stretch during which I received a handful of similar calls every week. “My child is not getting needed help.” “When I ask questions at the school, I don’t get answers.” And most disturbing, “My child is past the primary years and still does not know how to read very well or at all.”

A scathing letter to the editor from the local teachers association accused me and other organizers of attempting to undermine public education.

While supervising my trick-or-treating kids on Halloween, a neighbour waylaid me to share a vague warning about dark forces out to damage public schools. It was surreal.

The turnout to our town hall meeting was extraordinary. Straining the limits of the hall, a capacity crowd meant many were forced to stand when we ran out of chairs.

Within a few weeks, several hundred families signed a “notice of intent” petition asking for more choice in local public schools and specifically an academically-focused elementary option.

Parents working toward a public school Montessori option also joined our newly formed group: ‘Parents for Schools of Choice.’

With a few exceptions, the school system reacted to our temerity with a defensive, often arrogant, stance. Sadly, we soon also faced opposition from some parents who appeared to accept the warnings that our group represented a threat.

The intense political and philosophical opposition we faced was disconcerting and unexpected. All members of the organizing committee started out believing our proposal would be carefully considered, then accepted or rejected on its merits.

None of us anticipated having our personal motives publicly called into question, nor did we dream that labeling and name-calling would substitute for debate and discussion.

In retrospect, most of us likely would have completely avoided the path if we had understood the terrain. The floating bog swallowed us and though we fought through all of us emerged changed.

I was left with a multitude of questions and far fewer answers. Seeking answers seemed to exponentially lengthen my list of questions.

There appeared to be a disconnect between education research and actual practice. Parents were called partners but treated like something much less. The word accountability visibly raised hackles, and student achievement was a term few within the system were willing to define in concrete terms.

Defensiveness, rationalization and finger pointing seemed to be the only responses to challenging questions.

Because our choice school proposal required school board approval, committee members took turns attending public board meetings. Trustee debate at those meetings was confusing, much like overhearing snippets of one side of a telephone conversation. The lingering impression was that the real debate had already occurred - out of public view.

Many of the Parents for Schools of Choice committee members stepped away from direct involvement with school-related politics. Some were so disillusioned they began looking to education alternatives outside of public schools. Others were traumatized by the experience and avoided further involvement beyond their children’s classrooms.

As far back as I can remember, I considered public education an essential pillar of democracy. However, until my children were almost ready to actually attend one of these pillars of democracy, I hadn’t paid much attention to the reality of our public institution which provides K-12 education.

As my first child entered Kindergarten, I already knew more about the harsh realities of public education politics and power structures than most parents (parents of children with special needs being a significant exception) are exposed to in a lifetime.

And thus, in the fall of 1996, I realized I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t throw my hat in the ring during the municipal election. Eleven candidates for five positions, two slates (one right, one left) and three incumbents: No-one was more surprised than me when I was the only independent school trustee elected in Maple Ridge.

I successfully ran in two additional elections. For nine years I had a bird eye view of the inner workings of a mid-sized school district, education governance at all levels and the political pressures that form public sector policy.

In 2005, I declined to run again. (The “why” is a topic for future columns.)

Over the years, a number of parallel involvements have exposed me to a variety of perspectives, current research and new ways of thinking about education and democracy.

The email list – TPON - that preceded this forum was one of those valuable sources of perspective and information. I believe these forums have significant potential for improving public education, but only if the vision of providing a safe and respectful place for everyone to share ideas and views is realized.

Our current public education system is fundamentally flawed and all stakeholders acknowledge this in some manner. It is the nature of the flaws and the potential solutions that are contested.

Positive change is occurring, but is it enough? What unfortunately has not changed is the demonization of individuals and groups by those who hold alternate views. I am not speaking just of parents because it is also happening to teachers. Too often, it is the nature of our associations (union membership, political leanings, religion etc.) that is attacked not the merit of our arguments

The name calling is a disgrace. All of us who are interested in public education, whatever our involvement, agree on so much more than we disagree on. It is in that vast and stable place we need to ground our discussions – on common ground.

No floating bogs allowed.