A Richmond News column reviews school board candidates and their platforms

Twenty-eight candidates are vying for seven trustee seats on the Richmond Board of Education. All seven incumbents — Rod Belleza, Ken Hamaguchi, Heather Larson, Donna Sargent, Debbie Tablotney, Alice Wong and David Yang — are seeking re-election. Trustees oversee the school district’s finances, hire its superintendent and work with staff to set the district’s strategic direction and improve student achievement. Candidates represent Advance Richmond, Richmond Education Party, Empower Education Richmond and Common Sense, as well as independent campaigns.

Balancing the budget is a central school board issue. Last year, the Richmond school board faced a $4.2-million shortfall linked to declining enrolment amid changes to immigration, and made job and other cuts to balance its books. The provincial government sets school budgets, while trustees make difficult decisions about how to manage the limited funding. Trustees can be dismissed if they try to pass a spending budget larger than the provincial allocation, as happened in Vancouver in 2016. Trustees do not control the curriculum or what students learn; those are also set by the province. Other key issues include seismic upgrades to schools, mental health and other learner supports.

Social issues sometimes shape the agenda in Richmond. The 2018 passage of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification (SOGI) policy drew substantial public interest both for and against. The policy supports inclusive classrooms where people of all kinds should feel safe. It has since been updated to a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan that includes Truth and Reconciliation and anti-racism. The province mandates this type of plan, so trustees can help shape its details but must have a policy.

Columnist Tracy Sherlock writes that only one trustee candidate has knocked on her door so far this election: incumbent David Yang, who represents Empower Education Richmond. The party is running only trustee candidates; its other two candidates are longtime trustee Debbie Tablotney and former trustee Sandra Nixon. Its platform commits to equitable and inclusive schools, seismically safe buildings, stronger classroom supports and diverse programs, mental health and wellness supports, student safety, and including student voices in decision-making.

Donna Sargent, a trustee for 25 years, is running as an independent. Her platform says she will advocate to the provincial government for supports for diverse learners; improve school buildings and maintenance, make them safer in an earthquake and open a new school in the city centre; and consult industry experts about artificial intelligence and other technologies to prepare students for future success. Her platform also recognizes that budget challenges will continue to affect programs and students.

Richmond Education Party is running four trustee candidates: current board chair Ken Hamaguchi, incumbent trustee Heather Larson, and newcomers Bill Mok and Martin Li. Its five platform areas are access for all students to high-quality instruction, strong support and opportunities for success; safe, seismically sound and technologically well-equipped schools; diversity, mental health and anti-racism; fiscally responsible governance; and collaboration with families, teachers and community groups to expand childcare and enrich programs.

Advance Richmond is running six trustee candidates: incumbent Rod Belleza, Dean Billings, Danny Chang, Willy Sinconegue, Phyllis Tang and Sophia Woo. The party’s website has no specific education platform, but lists five overall priorities: fighting drugs, growing the economy, connecting communities across cultures and generations, improving safety on streets, in schools and in neighbourhoods, and proposing solutions for housing, youth and social services.

Common Sense is running one trustee candidate, Alice Wong, who has served two terms as a trustee. The party is also running three city councillor candidates and, like Advance Richmond, has no separate education platform. Its five areas of focus include making Richmond a global business hub; having a city councillor always available; starting a city-operated medical clinic and establishing housing for first responders; launching drug prevention and recovery programs; and expanding local education.

Thirteen other trustee candidates are unaffiliated: Hongyun Chen, Lawrence Chen, Calvin Dang, Kiana Dashtbazi, Kay Hale, Aithan Kang, Ausha Kang, Vivien Lee, Stefan Mladenovic, Jordan Oye, Helen Quan, Nancy Williams and John Zhang. The other civic parties are not running trustee candidates.