For the second time during its public budget process this year, the Burnaby school board has faced down a former political opponent.
Former Burnaby First Coalition (BFC) trustee candidate Heather Leung addressed the board at a public meeting Tuesday as trustees prepared to vote on the 2015/16 budget.
Like fellow BFC member Maria Parente at a public consultation April 9, Leung reiterated her party’s position that the all-Burnaby Citizens’ Association board should do more to retain local students.
Throughout last year’s school board election campaign, BFC maintained that up to 7,000 school-aged Burnaby children weren’t registered in local public schools, representing millions of dollars in lost provincial funding.
One thing keeping some parents away, Leung said Tuesday, was the district’s “gender awareness programming” – initiatives aimed at fostering inclusion and acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students.
“Such programming does more than keep some parents away from district schools,” Leung said. “It also raises questions of public policy.
Leung was cut off at that point by chair Ron Burton, who said the 10 minutes for her presentation were up.
Leung argued she had timed herself and had more time left.
Burton allowed her to continue after a warning.
“A couple of things,” he said. “One is, this board has always been non-political, and you’re raising political issues. You’ve named your party and another party, which we don’t do, and delegations do not do that … The other is, you’re going down a road, in terms of the LBGTQ committee, that I’m very, very wary where you’re going, so be aware, that we’re going to monitor this very carefully for the next minute, and then you’re cut off.”
Leung continue briefly, suggesting finally that CUPE and the Burnaby Teachers’ Association should “use their leverage with the BCA” to spark change.
At this point, Burton jumped in again, putting an end to Leung’s address.
“Ms. Leung, that’s enough,” he said. “The inference there is uncalled for. You’re done. Thank you very much for your time.”
The local teachers’ union endorsed the BCA slate during the last election, and the district's support staff union donated $11,125 to BCA's campaign.
Before running with BFC, Leung was the president and spokesperson of Burnaby Parents' Voice, a civic party that formed to oppose Policy 5.45, the district’s anti-homophobia policy. The group fielded five candidates in the 2011 municipal election.
Correction:
An earlier version of this story stated Heather Leung was a trustee candidate in 2011 for Burnaby Parents’ Voice. Leung was not, in fact, a candidate during that election.
