Surrey, BC | May 12–13, 2023
2023 Public Education Conference
Responding to hate in our schools and communities
About the conference
Teachers and parents are invited to discuss confronting hate through collaborative action. Whether it’s identifying recruitment tactics that target young people, discussing school board policies, hearing from students about their experiences with hate in schools, or learning what it takes to run for office, parents and teachers will be able to discuss joint strategies in service of children and public education.
Join BC Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender; the Canadian Anti-Hate Network; school trustees Teri Westerby, Suzie Mah, and Mikelle Sasakamoose; former President Glen Hansman; as well as public school advocate and journalist Patti Bacchus in a series of workshops.
One parent and one union member from each local are invited. All costs will be covered by the BCTF. Please reach out to your local president for more information.
Agenda
Friday, May 12
7:00 p.m.
Welcome reception with drinks and snacks available. Opening remarks from the BC Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender and former BCTF President Glen Hansman.
Saturday, May 13
8:00 a.m.
Breakfast and registration opens.
9:00 a.m.
Presentations from keynote speakers and small workshops take place.
4:30 p.m.
Conference adjourns.
Keynote speaker
Meet BC Human Rights Commissioner
Kasari Govender
Kasari Govender started her five-year term as BC's Human Rights Commissioner on September 3, 2019. The BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner has been working swiftly to build a strong team, to listen deeply to the concerns of British Columbians, to issue policy guidance to protect vulnerable communities, and to lay a human rights-based foundation for our work. As an independent officer of the Legislature, the Commissioner is uniquely positioned to ensure human rights in BC are protected, respected, and advanced on a systemic level throughout our society.
Guest speakers
Meet Patti
Patti Bacchus is a long-time public-education advocate who was the longest serving chair of the Vancouver School Board (VSB). She ran for the VSB in three elections—in 2008, 2011, and 2014—topping the polls each time. After being fired from the VSB in 2016 by the BC Liberal government for refusing to pass a budget with deep cuts, Patti wrote a weekly education column for The Georgia Straight until 2021.
Meet Suzie
Suzie Mah is a newly elected school trustee with the Vancouver School Board. She recently retired from 35 years of teaching in Vancouver schools and has taught in the K–12 and adult education sectors. Suzie has a long history of teacher union activism and is a strong advocate for public education—particularly in the areas of equity and inclusion.
Meet Mikelle
Mikelle Sasakamoose is a Burnaby school trustee and a member of the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation. She is also Tk'emlups te Secwepemc and Syilx and was born and raised on the reserve at Kamloops. Mikelle is the first Indigenous person to be elected to a colonial government in Burnaby in its 130-year history as a city.
Meet Teri
Teri Westerby has been volunteering with the community of Chilliwack since 2016. He is one of the founding members of the Chilliwack Pride Society, the Transgender Resource and Networking Society of Chilliwack, and the Downtown Chilliwack Community Market. Teri was recently elected to the Chilliwack Board of Education, a historic first in Canada for an openly transgender man.
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Our mandate is to monitor, research, and counter hate groups by providing education and information on hate groups to the public, media, researchers, courts, law enforcement, and community groups.
Meet Glen
Glen Hansman is a resource teacher in Vancouver and a former President of the BCTF. He has served on the BC Teachers’ Council, the board of the Teacher Qualification Service, and as an officer of the BC Federation of Labour. He continues to be involved in public education advocacy through his local, in particular on matters related to reconciliation, inclusion, and anti-oppression.
Workshops
Caring adult toolkit on responding to hate
The Anti-Hate Network
What hate feels like in schools and online
IMAGINE—Students' Voice
Lessons from the municipal election and what to prepare for at the school board
School trustees Gurveen Dahliwal, Suzie Mah, Mikelle Sasakamoose, and Teri Westerby
Media training: Get school issues in the news
Rich Overgaard, BCTF Communications and Campaigns Director
A public education to rebuild the community
Andrée Gacoin, BCTF Research Director, and the Trinational Coalition in Defence of Public Education
Hopes and dreams for public education
Institute for Public Education
Want to run?
Patti Bacchus, journalist and former school trustee
Venue
The Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel
15269 104 Avenue
Surrey, BC V3R 1N5
Come join political action contacts across the province in the BCTF's in-person Public Education Conference.
Contact your local president for more information.
Registration closes April 10, 2023.
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