Green Party trustee to chair Vancouver School Board

Green Party trustee Janet Fraser has been elected chairperson of the Vancouver School Board.

Fraser was elected on Monday at an inaugural meeting of the recently elected nine-person board. She was a VSB trustee from 2014 until all nine VSB trustees were fired last October for failing to pass a balanced budget. Fraser was re-elected in a by-election earlier this month.

Her election marks the first time two Green Party members have chaired two elected boards in the same city: the other chair is Michael Wiebe, heading the Vancouver Park Board.

Fraser does not command a majority on the VSB. The board is made up of people from other municipal political parties including the Non-Partisan Association, Vision Vancouver and the new OneCity party.

"The voters have elected a diversity in the nine trustees," said Fraser. "I think we have to reflect that in the way we work at the board table."

Moving forward

Fraser said collaboration is key while tackling the challenges facing the VSB. As a member of the previous school board, Fraser said she was aware of the disrespectful conduct that was reported during the last board's tenure.

"I didn't realize the full impact it was having on our staff," Fraser told The Early Edition host Rick Cluff.

Fraser said the investigative report ordered by WorkSafeBC which found the previous board created a toxic work environment, gave her much needed distance and a chance to reflect on how to best move forward.

"As the chair I have a leadership role, I have to make sure board meetings are conducted in the proper manner," said Fraser. "It won't be hard, because I think all the trustees are on board with that."

Fraser acknowledged the board needs to function efficiently, as this school year has been rife with confusion largely due to a shortage of teachers.

"This is an ongoing issue across the province, but there are unique aspects in Vancouver," said Fraser, acknowledging that some teachers do not want to work in Vancouver because of the high cost of living.

Fraser said while the VSB can't control affordability in Vancouver, they are having discussions around covering moving costs for inbound teachers and "creative home-stay arrangements."

"I want to see how those could be implemented and what the possibilities are," said Fraser, who stressed the immediate concern for the VSB, beyond renewing public confidence in the board, is teacher recruitment.

With files from The Early Edition