COPAC raises concerns over election process for school board chairman

The secret ballot voting process that elected the new chairman of the Central Okanagan Board of Education has been questioned by the chairman of the Central Okanagan Parents’ Advisory Board.

According to Simon Adams, some parents have expressed concern to COPAC executives and social media about how the votes were undershot at the November 9 launch meeting of the recently elected new school board. As a result, long-time trustee Mr. Lee Anteed was elected chairman.

Adams said COPAC had no problem with Tiede becoming chairman, but in reality three trustees had been nominated to run for the chairmanship, each with a nominee for the council. said there was someone -Member Boards, some of whom had to vote differently from their first publicly expressed preferences as candidates or nominees.

Adams explained that the scenario was actionable at best and deliberately misleading at worst, and Tiede and councilors Chantelle Desrosiers and Julia Fraser were nominated in the ballot for the presidency. rice field.

He said he hoped the board would consider a public vote for the position of chairman to avoid confusion about the board’s position.

Adams made the presentation during the board’s public question/comment period on Wednesday night.

Tiede, contacted after the meeting, said the closed-door voting process was democratic.

“Any director can be nominated[to be president]and any director can change their minds about who they vote for during the nomination process and voting. That’s what freedom looks like.” Tide said.

Tiede said the new school board will move forward from the Nov. 9 vote and, with the support of school district staff, will begin working together to become an effective and proactive governing body. .

“We want our school district to be special, and the board can make that happen … we may have different outlooks on life, but we have one unified vision. I have a goal and that is to do the best for my students,” she said.

“I am thrilled to see the new group of Trustees working together to find solutions to the problems we have to deal with.”