WEBSITE: votealexanderbrown.weebly.com

EMAIL: alexanderforward12@gmail.com

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1. Why are you the best candidate for trustee?
Because I listen to people, gather ideas and act with common sense to get things done. I’m a strong, passionate leader and a diplomatic negotiator and I truly believe in the power of education, life-long learning and commitment to community. My public experience comes from grassroots volunteer work in the community. I’ve joined forces with residents, service providers, schools and local politicians to consult, plan and implement projects that strengthen neighbourhoods, target areas for improvement and actively include the people who will be most affected. As an educator, I’ve made a difference in the classroom and in the lives of many students; my decision to run for trustee is a natural extension of my desire to continue making a difference for all kids by helping to establish education policy at the TDSB.

2. What changes would you like to see at the school board in the next four years?
The school board is saddled with a 2.8 billion dollar school maintenance and renewal backlog. This is unsustainable. I’d like to see this trend reversed within the next four years. We must work tirelessly with community representatives, the City of Toronto and other stakeholders to ensure that the Ontario government revamps the present education funding formula to cover programming costs per student and for the renewal of schools. We can start by lobbying for a reinstatement of the Good Places to Grow program. This is very much a political issue and it requires political will to get it done.

3. What is your position on the TDSB consolidating under-enrolled schools and selling off closed school properties?
The school board has opted for short term quick fixes by closing schools and selling them for revenue generation. This will end up costing taxpayers more in the long term when the land is no longer available. I understand why this has been done but it must stop. We need to consult and collaborate with residents and the city of Toronto to find sensible and creative uses for the properties. They belong to the communities they serve and should remain productive. Among other ideas, schools slated for closure could be used to meet the city of Toronto’s green space, and recreational requirements.

4. Do you support the province’s decision to try to negotiate two-year, no wage increase contracts with the school board’s unionized employees when existing agreements expire?
No I do not support it. Our provincial government never seems to have enough money to support one of the most important pillars of our society – education. It is shameful and disturbing that the province wants to make people who work for the success of the education system pay for their own fiscal ineptitude.

5. Please provide personal details on your bio.
I am a Toronto resident living with my wonderful partner Shiraz. I continue to enjoy teaching English as a Second Language to students from a wide range of backgrounds. I graduated from McMaster University in 1992 with a degree in Biology. I spent 12 fascinating years as a cultural ambassador in Japan working for the Osaka Board of Education. I can speak Japanese and have an interest in learning Mandarin. I enjoy engaging conversations, playing the piano and making positive change a reality. I hope to meet and speak with many Ward 12 residents over the next four years.