IN THE MAPLE RIDGE SCHOOL TRUSTEE RACE: Mike Murray

Mike Murray

RUNNING AS INDEPENDENT FOR MAPLE RIDGE TRUSTEE

Retired, age 70

Resident of Maple Ridge for 26 years

It’s been my privilege to work in Maple Ridge since 1977, in various professional and volunteer capacities, developing strong relationships and networks with individuals and organizations whose common goal is to continuously improve the community.

I’m a UBC graduate and was the general manager of community development, parks and recreation for Maple Ridge until retirement.

As an experienced trustee I’m focused on using my networks, experience, and knowledge of government to benefit students;

• advocating for additional funding to meet the needs of our growing student population (documented in SD42 strategic plans),

• implementing recommendations in the Deepening Indigenous Education and Equity report, and

• addressing student needs identified in the annual SD42 Supporting All Learners report (intellectual and career development, health and well being).

Website: mwmurray.ca

Phone: 604-626-5193 or 604-467-3552

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Have you held office in past? If so, please specify: School Trustee since 2011.

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Questions:

(These answers are presented as the candidates submitted them)

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1. Do you agree with how SOGI material and other sex education is currently taught in the classroom, including LGBTQ2S content and sexual consent?

Yes. Age appropriate content is important to ensure the health and well being of our students and an inclusive school environment free of discrimination of any kind related to race, religious beliefs or sexual orientation. The Board of Education adopted its Safe and Caring Schools policy during my first term as a trustee in response to very passionate LGBTQ2S student requests and considerable consultation about the need to address discrimination and bullying. It is a fundamental policy necessary to ensure students feel safe and accepted in our schools regardless of their diverse backgrounds. Of course the implementation of any policy requires considerable and continuous effort throughout the system. I continue to support the allocation of resources toward that end. Please also see the following news release on SOGI recently issued by the BCSTA and Ministry of Education https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022ECC0075-001396

2. Are class sizes too big?

No. Provincially negotiated collective agreements with Teachers were finalized a few years ago resulting in appropriate class size formulas being established in our schools. That particular negotiation resulted in significant increases in our teaching staff and the need for additional classrooms. Of course it can be a challenge to meet the prescribed formulas in a growing district and I know School District Staff and the MR Teachers Association are constantly working on this. Remedies are prescribed where the formulas cannot be met and applied where needed. Strategies are needed to reduce the use of remedies and keep class sizes at the intended levels.

3. Should students with diverse abilities or special needs be taught in regular classrooms?

Yes. The inclusion of all learners is an important value in our School District just as the inclusion of all citizens with diverse abilities is an important value in the community in general.

Appropriate support is required to ensure inclusion can be successful in the form of :

a. teacher and education assistant professional development,

b. Special Education Teachers,

c. Education Assistants,

d. other specialists (like Behavioural and Speech Therapists)

e. break out rooms for one on one coaching and learning when needed

f. quiet places for students to manage overstimulation (with support)

The School District’s Learning Services Department is described more fully at https://learningservices.sd42.ca/about/

4. Is the provincial government providing enough funding for public schools?

No. Provincial funding rarely covers all inflationary costs in the school system and can cause a significant strain on operating budgets. Insufficient operating funding can result in the Board of Education having to consider priorities within the system. An example is student bussing which currently supports over 300 students’ attendance. Even with fees being assessed bussing is still subsidized from other parts of the District’s budget. We shouldn’t have to make a choice between bussing and classroom resources in annual budget deliberations, especially in a District which includes rural areas with insufficient public transportation. Trustees from SD42 recently submitted a resolution through the BC School Trustees Association requesting full funding of student bussing. The resolution was passed unanimously by all boards of education in the province.

Shortfalls in capital funding are well document both for new schools and for school maintenance. The need for school portables in the absence of new schools is certainly an issue especially since they are paid for from operating budgets. I recently authored two papers on behalf of the BC School Trustees Association to make the case for more capital funding for government.

5. Should students be taught how to administer Naloxone in school?

Yes. Although most students will never experience a situation where naloxone is needed, those who feel they might benefit from the training should have the opportunity alongside basic first aid and cpr training. It is important that as many of our citizens as possible have this knowledge should the need arise. It would be tragic if a student or parent lost their life because their friends or family didn’t have this relatively basic training.

6. Should there be more emphasis on STEM courses in schools?

Yes. I’ve said yes given the need for science and technical based solutions to world wide challenges. Having said that I do know our District provides many opportunities already and I haven’t seen or heard evidence that what is being offered isn’t sufficient to meet the need or demand. The District has one of the largest technical/trades programs in the province (fourth overall and first proportionate to student population). I also know that the classrooms providing technical and applied science courses are some of the most popular in our secondary schools. Basic coding is already being taught in our elementary schools as part of the science curriculum. Essential science and math courses are available in all of our schools.

7. Do we need a post-secondary institution/campus in Pitt Meadows or Maple Ridge?

Yes. We are concerned that our student transition from secondary schools to post secondary is falling behind other districts where post secondary institutions are located. To this end Kwantlen Polytechnic University will be conducting a study beginning in January of next year on this subject which we hope will lead to further work and the establishment of a campus here. With that said it is important to acknowledge we have several successful trades training opportunities offered now in our secondary schools through partnerships with KPU, BCIT and VCC. The Justice Institute Fire Training Centre is located in Maple Ridge as is the UBC Research Forest and Operating Engineers Training Program. Ridge Meadows College offers several career training opportunities as well.

8. Is bullying a problem in local schools?

Yes. Any bullying in any school is a problem, especially for the students and staff involved.

The advent of social media and some of the negative adult examples in this world are certainly not helpful.

With that said, our hope is that the amount of bullying is less than it was, and that our district emphasis on creating safe, caring, and inclusive learning environments is having a positive impact.

We are seeing some positive results from a school focus on social emotional learning. A detailed report on this very important question is contained in sections of the “Supporting All Learners” report beginning on page twelve. (https://www.sd42.ca/assets/media/2022-09-01-2021-22-SD42-Framework-for-Enhancing-Student-Learning.pdf)

Tracking these results over the years will help us determine if the strategies adopted by the district are working, or if other approaches need to be explored.

9. Should there be more emphasis on Indigenous-based history and culture courses?

Yes. All students should learn about the full history of the land we live on and the cultural background of those who inhabited the area pre- colonization and whose ancestors continue living here today. Apart from broadening knowledge this will help to reinforce the values and value of indigenous cultures while countering anti indigenous racism. The 1,400 students of ancestry currently enrolled in SD42 schools will gain a sense of pride and confidence with acknowledgment by the entire school community. The Ministry of Education has recently added coursework as a graduation requirement reflecting commitments made following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations and the province’s acknowledgment of the “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”. This has recently been reinforced in the recommendations coming from the equity scan commissioned by the current Board of Education titled “Deepening Indigenous Education and Equity” https://www.sd42.ca/assets/media/Deepening-Indigenous-Education-and-Equity.pdf

10. Should the district have a strategy to reduce the use of portables?

Yes. The SD42 Strategic Facilities Plan is just that and was updated/adopted last March following considerable consultation and research https://www.sd42.ca/assets/media/STRATEGIC-FACILITIES-PLAN-March-2022.pdf It is based on detailed demographic and population growth analysis in both Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows as well as consultation with partner groups, local governments and the public at large. The resulting recommendations include project proposals to expand and replace Eric Langton Elementary, expand Harry Hooge Elementary, expand Samuel Robertson Technical (removing all of the portables), acquire a new Silver Valley School site to accommodate a new Elementary School alongside other more long term proposals. Needless to say planning for growth is important and the Board of Education must make the case resulting from this research to advocate strongly to the provincial government to provide the necessary capital funding . Delays in that funding result in the need for portables which are funded from District operating reserves which can impact the District’s operating budget. Since portables can cost close to $300,000 each, including servicing, this can be a significant issue.

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

How the questions were presented to each candidate

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows news readers have told us how much they value this important, straight-forward reference guide that helps orient them with the range of choices on the ballots – both at the council and school board levels.

Towards that end, we have attempted to make this package available (along with the following instructions) to each of the candidates in a timely fashion ahead of the Oct. 15 election.

Please read carefully before you start to fill this out.

To help voters in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows make their choices on election day, The News is asking local candidates 10 issue-based questions.

You must provide a ‘yes,’ a ‘no,’ or a ‘don’t know’ (Y, N, D) response to EACH of these questions.

Each question MUST be answered with yes (Y), no (N), or Don’t Know (D). This will be published in a grid in the Oct. 6 edition. Any questions not answered will be LEFT BLANK.

Candidates may also expand on ANY OR ALL of these questions (to a maximum of 200 words each). Please note any responses longer than that will be cut off at the 201-word mark.

Due to space limitations, we can only guarantee to run one of these answers in The News print edition ahead of the election. You must CLEARLY indicate which expanded answer you want to see published in print. If you do not specify, we will choose. Any and all expanded answers provided will be published online at www.mapleridgenews.com.

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