Parents of Black Children (PoBC) does not endorse or support any specific candidate. Our goal is to provide you with the resources to help you make an informed decision. Our Trustee tracker is maintained and updated by the information you send to us, therefore some candidates and information may be missing. Parents of Black Children do not own any of the information provided. If you have information about trustees that you’d like to add, share it with us!

School board trustees are municipally-elected representatives of the public who are the community’s advocate for public education. A trustee’s role is to maintain a focus on student achievement, well-being and equity and to participate in making decisions that benefit the board’s entire jurisdiction while representing the interests of their constituents. Click here for more information on the role of trustees. 

Over the last few years, we have seen trustees in school boards across Ontario demonstrate rampant anti-Black racism. From a YRDSB trustee calling one of our founding members the N-word, to HWDSB trustees directing racist remarks towards a student trustee, to an OCDSB trustee calling the police on Black youth playing basketball, and more, it is clear that something needs to be done.

Unfortunately, school board trustees are elected at the municipal level, which sees very low voter turnout and few citizens being informed about the candidates. To help you stay informed Parents of Black Children has begun tracking trustees from school boards across the province so you can make an informed decision about whether or not they should be re-elected in 2022.

Does your trustee have a passing grade?

In 2022, we need to do better. We need to make sure that school trustees are committed to fighting anti-Black racism rather than perpetuating it.

A trustee’s role is to maintain a focus on student achievement, well-being and equity and to participate in making decisions that benefit the board’s entire jurisdiction while representing the interests of their constituents. Trustees must also communicate the views and decisions of the board back to their constituents.

A trustee is responsible for identifying the needs and priorities of their community and for ensuring these are considered in the decisions that result in practical educational opportunities for students. In doing so, trustees must consider conflicting interests and values. A trustee must do this in collaboration with the other members of the school board by developing policies that work for all students, and ensuring they are implemented effectively. It is the local trustee who makes sure that the community has a direct way to express its views on vital education decisions that affect our day-to-day lives.