WEBSITE: www.cathdandy.ca

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1. Why are you the best candidate for trustee?
I have been involved in education politics for 16 years, the last four as trustee and the previous 12 years as a parent activist. I have two children in the public school system and one child that has graduated, I have acted as a parent advocate and I have attended the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. All this means that I have a deep understanding of education and the issues of students and families. As trustee, I love the positive, open, caring relationship I have with families and local school staff. I believe in serving the public.

2. What changes would you like to see at the school board in the next four years?
I think the biggest challenge facing us is the drive to sell off our “excess space.” I do not regard this space as “excess” but rather public space that is underutilized. Before we sell schools we must look to other sectors such as health, mental health, seniors, etc. to house their services in schools thus preserving the space, paying for the space from other budgets and, most importantly, providing services for families and the community in their own area. This means changing the funding formula but also developing better policy, outcomes and funding from all Ministries that serve families.

3. What is your position on the TDSB consolidating under-enrolled schools and selling off closed school properties?
As noted in the previous answer, I do not believe we should sell this valuable space until we have gone through a robust community process that looks at repurposing this space to meet the complex needs of the community and pay for it in a better way. Ontario is very behind in doing this and we can look to places all over the world that have led the way in doing this. This also preserves green space and offers opportunities for growing food for local communities. We may have to sell a school but not until we have thoughtful served the community first.

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?
I believe that the province’s decision to freeze wages in problematic as much of the reason for this freeze is due to the government’s enormous expenditures in subsidizing failed industry. While it looks like a good idea to freeze the wages of people in Ontario, it means that they bear the burden of corporate failure. Their wages are frozen but inflation continues thus putting working families, including teachers, at a disadvantage.

5. Please provide personal details on your bio.
Cathy Dandy was elected to the TDSB in November 2006 as Trustee for the Toronto Danforth. Prior to that, Cathy served for six years as Spokesperson for the Toronto Parent Network (TPN) after serving on the Steering Committee of People for Education. Cathy is the Director, Parent and Youth Engagement at a children’s mental health agency and has completed course work for her Masters degree at the OISE/ University of Toronto. Cathy also is the mother of a son and two daughters who remind her daily of the diversity of strengths and opportunities children and youth bring us!