Peter Kerek Asks:
There are many school-aged children living below the poverty line in Kamloops and across Canada. What role, if any, do you feel a school trustee should play in advocating for economic justice for these kids?
I was lucky to grow up in Kamloops in a stable home and a parent who had a steady, trade related job. As one of seven children we were not rich, but we were a long way from living in poverty. In my past time on the board, I would meet with committed educators who expressed their concerns about the challenges faced by many students. Poverty leads to instability and often children have attended multiple schools by the end of first or second grade. This lack of a stable home life manifests itself in the school system and elsewhere. School trustees can support programs aimed at the most vulnerable children to ensure they have appropriate nutrition and that their basic needs are being met. However, the core mandate for ensuring minimum living standards for children and their families lies with higher levels of government. School Boards do not have the budget or the mandate to address broader social issues such as poverty.