Student trustees speak out against potential elimination of school board trustees

The group that represents student trustees is accusing the Education Minister of making decisions without talking to students.

The Ontario Student Trustees Association (OSTA) is among those voicing concern with the potential elimination of school board trustees.

President Carter Peois says student voices need to be heard.

“Student representation is essential in every school board, and we want to ensure that student representation always remains because students will always be here, regardless of what changes, and students always will need that representation in educational governance,” says Peois.

Peois says the Association reached out to Paul Calandra when the legislation giving the Education Minister strong powers was first introduced.

He says the Minister responded three weeks later, saying he was too busy to meet with them.

“That’s concerning. OSTA is the official student stakeholder of the Ministry of Education,” says Peois.

“If the minister doesn’t have time to talk to OSTA, then I wonder which students he’s talking to when he makes legislation veiled in terms of student success.”

Peois notes that students share what they’re experiencing with student trustees, who are in a position to bring those voices back to the school board level.

He says only student trustees can provide first-hand insight into the daily experience of being a student.