Hey voters,
On October 25, you're going to be responsible for a lot more than choosing a mayor and city council for Toronto. You're also going to have to pick a school trustee in your area.
Think it's not important? Think again.
Consider these recent news headlines:
- "Cash-strapped TDSB has valuable art collection"
- "Parents speak out against school closure threat"
- "Group wants emptying schools repurposed"
- "T.O. students make history at 1st Africentric school"
The Toronto District School Board makes decision that directly affect the ways our neighbourhoods look, the way our kids learn, the way our society develops and of course, the way our money is spent. The TDSB operating budget is $2.3 billion.
Even if you don't have children, your tax dollars are spent on the city's public school system and your home is likely located in a community that was designed with schools in mind.
Here are some real scenarios of how much a school board decision -- and city politics – have recently affected individual lives and life in the city:
Property values:
Oshawa homeowners have seen first-hand what has happened to their property values after the local school board decided not to put a school in a certain community.
Young kids in that neighbourhood are being bused to a school in another district, and new families are reluctant to move into the community, effectively driving down house prices in the area.
Neighbourhood noise
Sure, it's one thing to have children running around the school yard during the day when you're at work . But many school boards now rent out their green space to neighbourhood sports groups in order to raise money.
One midtown school had soccer games scheduled on their field nearly every night during the week one summer, much to the chagrin of older residents living in an adjacent apartment building.
Social programs
No matter your ethnic background, or whether you had children in the public school system, everyone had an opinion on an Africentric school opening in Toronto. The idea sparked a debate about segregation, socio-economic challenges and Toronto's lacking education system.
Political breeding ground
A great reason to pay attention to your school trustee is because of the likelihood they will continue to serve you as a career politician.
Many of Ontario's top politicians started out at a school board. Most notably, Kathleen Wynne, who went on to serve as Education Minister in the Liberal cabinet and Donna Cansfield, who served in the same cabinet as transportation minister .
Other notable former trustees include Coun. Michael Walker, MPP Rosario Marchese and MP Olivia Chow.
Local advocate
Josh Matlow, currently running for councillor in Ward 22, served the St. Paul's community as school trustee for seven years.
He says a good school trustee serves as a much needed bridge between the school and the community at large.
"A trustee is the one person in the school system that doesn't work for school board," he said in a recent interview. "They work for you and they can be your advocate."
More info
How do you find out who the trustee is in your area?
Toronto has a link up on their website where you can search the candidates by ward. Click here for the public school and Catholic school board.
In Vaughan, there are just a few wards to fill. You can see the full list here.
Oshawa has their candidates listed here and scroll down for a list of Mississauga's candidates when you click here.
Sandie Benitah is a Toronto journalist who has covered municipal politics for the CTV Toronto website and other publications. She is covering the issues of this election for CTV Toronto and CP24's websites.
