A Personal Reflection, Not a Declaration

I want to begin with clarity and honesty. I have not made a final decision about whether I will run for school trustee in the coming term. I am also not certain whether that would be as an independent or as part of a group. These questions are part of an ongoing process of discernment for me. What I do know is that recent conversations around education—especially around SOGI 123—have prompted me to think more seriously about responsibility, leadership, and the kind of future we are preparing for our children.

This reflection is not meant to persuade or campaign. It is an invitation to think together.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

As we move toward the municipal elections in the fall of 2026, education is increasingly becoming part of public and political debate. I am beginning to see some political groups frame SOGI 123 as “too aggressive,” suggesting that it should be adjusted or modified, and encouraging people to elect them in order to “protect children.”

Calls to remove SOGI 123 are not new. They have been present from the very beginning. What feels different now is the timing and tone of the messaging. Fear is being stirred earlier, louder, and more strategically. That reality makes it important to slow down, seek clarity, and engage in thoughtful dialogue before misinformation becomes accepted as fact.

What SOGI 123 Is—and What It Is Not

Clarity is essential in any meaningful conversation. SOGI 123 does not teach children to be gay. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not taught behaviours, and they are not created by lessons, books, or exposure. If they were, decades of silence and stigma would have erased LGBTQ+ people long ago. They did not, because identity does not work that way.

What SOGI 123 does is far more basic and necessary. It helps schools respond to bullying, exclusion, and harm so that all children can learn in safety and dignity. It gives educators guidance to address real situations that already exist in schools, rather than leaving children to navigate them alone.

Talking About Difference Does Not Create Difference

Children notice difference long before adults name it. They notice who is included and who is excluded, who is protected and who is targeted. When schools avoid these realities, children do not become safer or more neutral. Instead, they are left to learn from peer dynamics, stereotypes, and social media.

Talking about difference does not create difference. It helps children learn how to live with respect and responsibility in a diverse world. Silence may feel safer for adults, but it often leaves children more vulnerable.

What People Mean When They Talk About “Adjusting” SOGI 123

Reviewing policies is part of good governance. Thoughtful evaluation is healthy. But it is important to be honest about what calls to “adjust” or “soften” SOGI 123 often mean in practice.

In many cases, these adjustments result in less clarity for educators, more hesitation to intervene in bullying, and fewer protections for students who are already vulnerable. When safeguards are weakened to reduce adult discomfort, the cost is often carried by children who struggle most to feel safe and included.

Silence and ambiguity do not protect children. Clear guidance does.

A Broader Vision of Education

This is where my thinking about school trusteeship goes beyond any single policy. The role of a school trustee is not simply to respond to controversy. It is to hold a long-term, big-picture vision of education.

Education is not only about academic performance. It is about helping children grow into wise, thoughtful, and responsible adults. It is about nurturing their gifts, creativity, and critical thinking. It is about teaching them how to live with difference, navigate complexity, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Preparing children for the future means more than shielding them from uncomfortable conversations. It means equipping them with the skills, values, and resilience they will need in a diverse and changing world.

Inclusion as a Foundation for Growth

Inclusive education is not a side issue. It is foundational. When children feel safe, respected, and valued at school, they are more likely to engage in learning, develop confidence, and grow into responsible members of the community.

SOGI 123 supports this broader goal. It is not the whole picture, but it is an important part of creating school environments where every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.

Independent, Grouped, or Still Discernment

I remain open about my own discernment. I have not decided whether I would run as an independent or as part of a group, or whether I will run at all. Labels matter less to me than values. What matters is a commitment to listening, thoughtful engagement, and keeping children—not fear or political advantage—at the center of our decisions.

Good leadership begins with humility and dialogue, not certainty and slogans.

An Invitation to Conversation

If you have concerns about SOGI 123, I invite conversation. If you support it, I want to understand why. If you are unsure, you are not alone. We do not need to agree on everything to speak respectfully and learn from one another.

As we move toward the 2026 election, I hope we can resist narratives that divide and instead choose conversations that deepen understanding. The real question before us is not simply about one policy or one election, but about the kind of education we want for our children and the kind of future we are preparing them for.

That question deserves our best thinking, our calmest voices, and our shared care for the next generation.