03) HISTORIC VOTE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION CANDIDATES

 

PV Vancouver Bureau

 

            The Vancouver-based Public Education Project became the first civic party to run candidates only at the school board level in the Nov. 15 election. The aim of the group was to raise awareness of the need to defend public education, which is often ignored in municipal campaigns.

 

            By that measure, education issues received more attention than in the past. That was partly due to the high level of interest generated by the BC teachers' strike earlier this year, and the resulting focus on provincial underfunding of schools. Another issue factored into the campaign, however: a public relations effort by a major oil corporation to advertise in schools.

 

            Disguised as a "donation", Chevron's marketing gimmick was a promise to donate cash tied to sales of fuel at its gas stations. This commercial angle led Vancouver School Board staff to reject the offer, but the corporate media completely distorted reality, howling that "ideologically blinkered" Vision trustees were turning away free money for needy children.

 

            The right-wing NPA candidates picked up this lie, hammering away at Vision, a propaganda tactic which brought gains at the polls. Several days after the vote, the Vancouver Sun finally printed a factual account of the Chevron "offer". By then, Vision had lost its majority on the VSB, electing four trustees along with four for the NPA, and one Green who now holds the balance of power. Premier Christy Clark must be delighted that strong critics of her education policies no longer have a majority on the VSB.

 

            For the Public Education Project, the result was gratifying but also frustrating. Candidates Bouey and Gwen Giesbrecht were not elected, but did win the highest vote totals (41,757 and 35,064 respectively) in the history of Vancouver for Trustee candidates not running for an established party. This result, achieved by a party launched less than two months before voting day, underlined their view that voters are eager to support candidates who focus on the needs and interests of students, parents, teachers, and education staff. Bouey and Giesbrecht were endorsed by the labour movement and a wide range of progressive activists.

 

            In a post-election statement, the group said, "We welcome the outpouring of support we received during this campaign. This has encouraged us to carry forward our project between elections, with the participation of all those who agree that public education is a cornerstone of our democratic society.

 

            "The provincial government must be compelled to provide the full funding necessary to help meet the unique learning needs of all students in our schools.... Vancouver cannot accept more cuts which reach into every classroom in our system, particularly impacting students who face challenges such as learning disabilities, English as an additional language, poverty, racism, homophobia and transphobia.

 

            "Two outgoing Trustees who campaigned on the negative politics of fear and division were decisively defeated. This result, despite their huge advantage of being incumbents, sends a strong message that Vancouver voters want a school system which is fully diverse and welcoming for all students, and public schools where bullying, harassment, and bigotry are completely unacceptable.

 

            "This election has also highlighted the attempt by private corporations seeking to take advantage of provincial under‑funding by directly providing classroom teaching materials. The Public Education Project strongly opposes any such effort to inject corporate values into Vancouver classrooms, a strategy will would quickly undermine the entire concept of public education.

 

            "Over the next four years, we will continue to raise these issues within the school system, and in the community at large. We pledge to work, in Vancouver and across the province, with those who share these ideals. We are working on concrete plans to reach out to all supporters of public education. For more information, contact us at mailto:votepubliced@gmail.com."

 

(The above article is from the December 1-31, 2014, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)