McConnell seeks re-election to rural seat

Brandon School Division trustee Lorraine McConnell is seeking another term representing the rural ward.

McConnell, who was elected in a byelection three years ago, said the experience has been a significant learning period.

“I am running in this election because I understand the gravity of the work we do, the advocacy necessary and that there are many old practices and ideas that need to evolve,” McConnell said.

“My first three years on the board have given me a deeper understanding of the work involved and strengthened my resolve to push for changes in how public education is governed.”

She said her time on the board has also given her a greater appreciation for the division’s senior administration and support staff, who she described as carrying out much of the day-to-day work while trustees focus primarily on governance, advocacy, bylaws, funding and ensuring the division operates within the requirements of the Public Schools Act.

Among her campaign priorities, McConnell said she wants to advocate for funding that would help maintain low staff-to-student ratios and increase the presence of educational assistants in classrooms.

McConnell said she believes trustees also need to examine long-standing practices within schools to determine whether they remain appropriate for today’s increasingly diverse communities.

One issue she highlighted is school fundraising.

She said activities such as pizza days and charitable fundraising, unintentionally create feelings of exclusion among children whose families cannot afford to participate.

McConnell recalled hearing from a family whose child felt left out when classmates participated in a pizza day because the family could not afford to purchase one. She also described a fundraising activity where children received recognition for reaching a particular sponsorship level.

“A child who could not reach that level might simply see that they did not receive the same recognition as their classmates,” she said.

“I don’t want any child to go to school feeling that there isn’t a place for me here.”

McConnell said she would like field trips and other school activities to be funded in a way that makes them accessible to every student, rather than requiring children to sell goods or raise money to participate.

Another priority is greater transparency around how trustees arrive at decisions, she said.

McConnell said discussions and processes leading to motions during the public portion of board meetings should be more transparent because trustees are elected officials and residents have a right to understand how decisions are reached.

“There are times when we need to compromise some of our wants, and that is true with all forms of governance, but I want to be able to tell people ‘Why’ we decided as we did,” she said.

McConnell also called for greater accountability around trustee compensation. She said she supports a model in which trustees submit the hours they serve and are compensated according to their work, arguing that a blanket compensation model regardless of effort could encourage complacency.

Representation of rural residents is another issue she wants to explore.

The division currently has nine trustee seats, with eight representing Brandon and one representing the rural ward. McConnell said rural residents only vote for one trustee, while Brandon residents can vote for eight.

“Rural folks should have the same opportunity as those in Brandon,” she said.

She said she would like to have broader conversations about whether the current representation model provides rural residents with adequate influence over the board’s decisions.

McConnell also wants greater diversity on the school board, saying she wants trustees who bring perspectives different from her own.

“I want people who don’t think like me,” she said. “I want colleagues who can challenge my thinking and help the board understand how decisions affect people from different backgrounds.”

Accessibility and non-sectarian public education are also central to her platform.

McConnell said she wants schools and activities to be accessible to students regardless of where they live, their religious affiliation, socioeconomic status, gender or family identity and culture. She also said she wants the division to continue moving toward full adherence to the requirement that Manitoba public schools be non-sectarian.

On school safety and social tensions, McConnell said more education is needed to help students and families recognize online indoctrination and other harmful influences.

She said schools also need people who can identify when children are struggling, adding that building relationships and encouraging people to ask questions are important parts of addressing fear and division.

McConnell also identified Truth and Reconciliation as an area where she wants to continue developing her own understanding and see more opportunities for trustees to learn through workshops, speakers and other activities.

She said trustees should not expect Indigenous people to carry the responsibility of educating others about reconciliation.

“I think we need to talk about what truth looks like to people, … what is reconciliation, and what is my job as an ally,” she said.

Rather than making a list of promises for another term, McConnell said she prefers to begin with conversations with residents and build connections before determining what can realistically be accomplished.

She plans to reach out to residents in communities including Alexander and Kemnay and gather their views on what they want from their rural trustee.

McConnell also said she hopes another candidate will enter the rural ward race.

“I want to see someone else,” she said. “I don’t think we should ever just hand over a seat that should be elected. I think that the competition is good … and I think people deserve choices.”

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