Thank you, thank you, thank you to the 5,351 Ward 14 citizens who cast their ballots in my favour on October 25. The number of votes comes from this website: http://www.globaltoronto.com/decision2010/index.html?time=13125 It has been an exciting seven months since March 16, 2010 when I went to City Hall and signed up to be a candidate for public school trustee in Ward 14 Toronto Centre-Rosedale.
Last year November I made a firm decision to run for trustee when I was invited to support a group of Somali parents from Etobicoke whose children were being bused away from their home to a school some distance away. It was a bit distressing to hear that this situation had existed for ten years since 1999 even though there is a school close to the Queens Plate neighbourhood. http://www.sharenews.com/opinion/2009/11/25/somali-parents-continue-wait-tdsb-action
http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/article/724690--school-too-far-too-scary
After mentioning my intention of running for office as a public school trustee candidate, I was asked if I would consider being the candidate in Ward 1 which includes the Queens Plate area. After months of discussion, on March 15, 2010 I learned that there were other groups in the ward who preferred someone who lived in Ward 1 as their ideal candidate and that they would begin a search for such a candidate. I decided to return to my original plan to run in Ward 14 where I have lived for the past 25 years.
Registering on March 16, 2010, I chatted with people whose opinion I value asking for their advice and support. I received support and advice which I considered and then sent out e-mails to even more people asking for support. I was delighted when I immediately received encouragement and endorsements for my campaign.
There were some alarming moments, including a phone call from the campaign manager of another candidate encouraging me to “drop out” of the race. In hindsight it should not have come as an unpleasant surprise but since this was the first time I had ever been approached to “drop out” of a race (I had run for City Councillor in 2000 and MPP in 2003) I was alarmed. Visions of unsavoury characters confronting me at inconvenient moments danced in my head, especially after I was told that another female candidate had been persuaded to drop out of the Ward 14 race. However, after noting the number of candidates who “dropped out” of this Municipal race for various reasons, I understand that this is nothing unusual.
Another slightly less alarming moment came when I was told by a security guard at a condominium building in the revitalized and gentrified Regent Park that the upmarket Cole street building was out of bounds to my volunteer and I because it was a private building. I explained that as we were distributing campaign literature for the upcoming October 25 Municipal election we did have the right to access the building, he insisted that we leave because those were his orders. Recognizing that the young man was only doing his job we went over to the Daniels Corporation office just across the street from the condominium where we were told by the man at the front desk after he consulted with his boss that we could not go into the building to distribute campaign literature but we were welcome to go to the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) buildings nearby. My volunteer and I left but the next day I was at City Hall to clarify the situation where I was told that legally I had the right to canvass the building and distribute my campaign literature. The Condominium Act states that "no corporation, employee or agent of a corporation shall restrict reasonable access to the property by candidates, or their authorized representatives, for election to the House of Commons, the Legislative Assembly or an office in a municipal government or school board if access is necessary for the purpose of canvassing or distributing election material."
When I eventually returned to the building I was pleasantly surprised to find that the security guard who was there knew about the Condominium Act. My volunteer and I distributed the campaign literature without hindrance.
So here we are on October 26, 2010, one day after the election and I have so many people to thank other than the 5,351 Ward 14 citizens who cast their ballots in my favour on October 25. I must thank Hugh Reilly who hosts Liquid Lunch at Thatchannel.com for interviewing me twice on his program and also Rogers TV for inviting me to the Ward 14 debate on October 7. I must thank Warren Salmon First Fridays group for inviting me to speak at the October event for municipal election candidates. I must thank Wendy Terry, President of Workers Educational Association of Canada who after attending her son’s graduation ceremony came to pick my first lawn sign and posted it on her fence; and Jeff Peters, a member of University of Toronto’s Governing Council who posted my lawn signs on his balcony and his living room window. I must thank the people who wholeheartedly endorsed my campaign, the people who volunteered their time to distribute my campaign literature in the buildings where they live and at events they attended. I must thank the people who encouraged me by calling, e-mailing and chatting with me when we met while I was campaigning. I must thank those people who contributed financially to my campaign including: The Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students at the University of Toronto APUS, CUPE Local 4400 (special thanks to Brother Miguel Lima who advocated there on my behalf), CUPE Local 3907 (special thanks to Brother Ajamu Nangwaya who advocated there on my behalf), CUPE Local (special thanks to Sister Sandra Forsythe who advocated there on my behalf), Paul Braithwaite, Rita Burke, Joy Isaacs, Gloria Middleton and Wendy Terry.
And a huge Asante Sana to my sistren Maria Garrick and Myrtle Rudder who spent countless hours walking with me as I campaigned in ward 14 (which includes the city wards 27 and 28). We were like the three musketeers: Maria, Murphy and Myrtle. These two sistren did not even let campaigning in 50 story buildings prevent them from being by my side as we went from floor to floor distributing campaign literature. Week after week they were there with me even when they had to park their cars and walk from Yonge Street to Front Street campaigning. I cannot thank them enough for being there with me as I worked with a shoestring budget of less than two thousand dollars to cover the expense of campaign literature, lawn signs, phone etc.,
5,351 votes!! Not bad for our efforts. I will be back in 2014. But now I have to go and pick up all the lawn signs I left here and there. That is the only thing I am not looking forward to. I am looking forward to being back on air at CKLN 88.1 FM on Tuesday nights (Word of Mouth) and Sunday mornings (Frequency Feminisms). ON TO 2014!!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
ELECT MURPHY BROWNE ON OCTOBER 25, 2010
Welcome to my campaign blog! I am a public school Trustee candidate for Ward 14 in the Toronto municipal elections. I made the decision to become a candidate for public school Trustee because I believe that I have the background and experience to advocate for parents, students and residents of Ward 14 at the Toronto District School Board.
I have been involved as an advocate for parents and students at the former Toronto Board of Education and at the Toronto District School Board for more than 20 years. During the amalgamation and “common sense revolution” that saw the public education system of Ontario deteriorate to where we were in danger of having a two tier education system. I was one of several activists who resisted the Harris government’s attempt to establish a voucher system that would have diverted resources and students away from the public school system. Resistance by our groups of activists to the Harris Tory government’s many misguided policies including a new funding formula which stripped local education boards of their taxation powers gave rise to organizations like People for Education, Parent Community Network and Campaign for Public Education.
I was co-chair of Parent Community Network and Campaign for Public Education and among other things advocated for reform of the provincial funding formula to recognize the real costs of equitable quality public education.
As trustee I will advocate for the dismantling of the standardized student tests. The standardized student tests that were introduced as part of “the common sense revolution” make no sense because it forces educators to teach children to pass tests when they should be teaching children to think critically, love learning and to become life long learners.
I am asking that you vote for me on October 25 when you go to the polls.
Email: votemurphybrowne@gmail.com
I have been involved as an advocate for parents and students at the former Toronto Board of Education and at the Toronto District School Board for more than 20 years. During the amalgamation and “common sense revolution” that saw the public education system of Ontario deteriorate to where we were in danger of having a two tier education system. I was one of several activists who resisted the Harris government’s attempt to establish a voucher system that would have diverted resources and students away from the public school system. Resistance by our groups of activists to the Harris Tory government’s many misguided policies including a new funding formula which stripped local education boards of their taxation powers gave rise to organizations like People for Education, Parent Community Network and Campaign for Public Education.
I was co-chair of Parent Community Network and Campaign for Public Education and among other things advocated for reform of the provincial funding formula to recognize the real costs of equitable quality public education.
As trustee I will advocate for the dismantling of the standardized student tests. The standardized student tests that were introduced as part of “the common sense revolution” make no sense because it forces educators to teach children to pass tests when they should be teaching children to think critically, love learning and to become life long learners.
I am asking that you vote for me on October 25 when you go to the polls.
Email: votemurphybrowne@gmail.com
CAMPAIGN PLATFORM
As a Ward 14 Trustee candidate at the Toronto District School Board I am for:
• An education system that develops a systemic approach to inclusive and equity-oriented education.
• An education system that builds compensatory efforts around the promotion and re-enforcement of self-esteem while fostering respect, equity and social justice.
• An education system that does not tolerate any incidents of racist behaviour and is vigilant in addressing and following up on racist incidents on the part of any of its students, staff or officials.
• An education system that is inclusive of specialized schools with principles of equity, in their admission policies, retention and graduation rates.
• An education system that acknowledges that it has a role to play in overcoming the social inequalities that affect the communities it serves.
• A school curriculum that is inclusive of the heritage of the school population, including recognition and respect for the unique history of Canada’s first peoples and the history of immigration from all parts of the world that has enriched its cultural diversity.
• A school curriculum that includes an understanding of human rights and that engages students in debates over how and why struggles for social justice have failed and succeeded in different historical contexts.
• A school curriculum that views all community members as full participants in the education of the community’s children, both within the school and beyond.
• A school system whose teaching staff, administrators and support staff reflect the racial and ethnic composition of the communities that it serves with pre-service and in-service teacher training including compulsory training in cross-cultural communication and anti-racist education within a framework of educational equity.
• A community use of schools policy that is monitored to ensure that the diversity of the community is reflected in the programs that take place on the school’s premises.
• A discipline policy that is sensitive to the social, psychic and spirit injuries of racism and is administered in ways that ensure that no group is or appears to be placed in judgment over another group.
Email: votemurphybrowne@gmail.com
• An education system that develops a systemic approach to inclusive and equity-oriented education.
• An education system that builds compensatory efforts around the promotion and re-enforcement of self-esteem while fostering respect, equity and social justice.
• An education system that does not tolerate any incidents of racist behaviour and is vigilant in addressing and following up on racist incidents on the part of any of its students, staff or officials.
• An education system that is inclusive of specialized schools with principles of equity, in their admission policies, retention and graduation rates.
• An education system that acknowledges that it has a role to play in overcoming the social inequalities that affect the communities it serves.
• A school curriculum that is inclusive of the heritage of the school population, including recognition and respect for the unique history of Canada’s first peoples and the history of immigration from all parts of the world that has enriched its cultural diversity.
• A school curriculum that includes an understanding of human rights and that engages students in debates over how and why struggles for social justice have failed and succeeded in different historical contexts.
• A school curriculum that views all community members as full participants in the education of the community’s children, both within the school and beyond.
• A school system whose teaching staff, administrators and support staff reflect the racial and ethnic composition of the communities that it serves with pre-service and in-service teacher training including compulsory training in cross-cultural communication and anti-racist education within a framework of educational equity.
• A community use of schools policy that is monitored to ensure that the diversity of the community is reflected in the programs that take place on the school’s premises.
• A discipline policy that is sensitive to the social, psychic and spirit injuries of racism and is administered in ways that ensure that no group is or appears to be placed in judgment over another group.
Email: votemurphybrowne@gmail.com
Monday, October 4, 2010
ELECT MURPHY BROWNE FOR WARD 14 SCHOOL TRUSTEE (TDSB)
I have been involved as an activist parent and community member in the education system for more than two decades at the school and board level. I have been an active and vocal member of school and ward councils serving as chair of school councils and representing schools at ward council. I have served as co-chair of the Organization of Parents of Black Children (OPBC) co-chair of the Parent Community Network and Campaign for Public Education.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On October 25, we will be voting for a new mayor and members of city council who will make decisions that will shape our city for the next four years. We will also be electing school board trustees who are responsible for making decisions that will affect our city for more than four years because our students are the future. They are the citizens of tomorrow and they will have a strong impact on how our future society unfolds.
It is in our schools that our children are guided as they discover their potential. This is where the vision for the future is moulded. This is where our children learn the characteristics required to be contributing members of society. It is extremely important and should concern everyone, even if they do have children in the schools because the students in our education system today become the citizens/population of tomorrow.
School board trustees create a vision for our schools and then work to achieve that vision. To be an effective trustee one needs to have a passion for being involved in educating our next generation and also ensuring that adult learners are included.
It is also important to remember that the education system is not solely about academics. What lessons are taught, how lessons are taught and what is learned in our schools will influence the lives of the students even after they leave school.
We need schools in which everyone feels respected and included, where each person’s talents and skills can grow and flourish. We need schools that reflect our future society, where students learn responsibility for themselves and for others around them.
Whether or not you have a child in school you need to participate in electing trustees because trustees make decisions about creating an education system that will best meet the needs of society and will affect the future.
We need trustees who understand the important link between communities and the school board.
On August 17, 18 and 19, 2010 I was one of more than 100 participants at the Summer Institute offered by the York Centre for Education & Community (YCEC) in the Faculty of Education at York’s Keele campus.
Presenters articulated effective curriculum and pedagogical practices around inclusion and models of student engagement. I attended workshops, theory to practice seminars and panel discussions that addressed student engagement and building inclusive classrooms.
The central theme of this year’s summer institute was to encourage and guide thinking to find ways for educators and other school staff and members of the school communities to work together to create innovative avenues to engage students in their education.
Dr Carl James who is the Director of the York Centre for Education & Community (YCEC) in the Faculty of Education believes that student achievement is directly affected by engagement. It is also important for schools and communities to understand and engage with the collective experiences that students and families bring to their communities and classrooms.
I will be a trustee who will bring the issues and concerns of the school community to board discussions and decision making. I will work in partnership with school councils and community residents because I firmly believe that public education has to involve the public.
Email: votemurphybrowne@gmail.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On October 25, we will be voting for a new mayor and members of city council who will make decisions that will shape our city for the next four years. We will also be electing school board trustees who are responsible for making decisions that will affect our city for more than four years because our students are the future. They are the citizens of tomorrow and they will have a strong impact on how our future society unfolds.
It is in our schools that our children are guided as they discover their potential. This is where the vision for the future is moulded. This is where our children learn the characteristics required to be contributing members of society. It is extremely important and should concern everyone, even if they do have children in the schools because the students in our education system today become the citizens/population of tomorrow.
School board trustees create a vision for our schools and then work to achieve that vision. To be an effective trustee one needs to have a passion for being involved in educating our next generation and also ensuring that adult learners are included.
It is also important to remember that the education system is not solely about academics. What lessons are taught, how lessons are taught and what is learned in our schools will influence the lives of the students even after they leave school.
We need schools in which everyone feels respected and included, where each person’s talents and skills can grow and flourish. We need schools that reflect our future society, where students learn responsibility for themselves and for others around them.
Whether or not you have a child in school you need to participate in electing trustees because trustees make decisions about creating an education system that will best meet the needs of society and will affect the future.
We need trustees who understand the important link between communities and the school board.
On August 17, 18 and 19, 2010 I was one of more than 100 participants at the Summer Institute offered by the York Centre for Education & Community (YCEC) in the Faculty of Education at York’s Keele campus.
Presenters articulated effective curriculum and pedagogical practices around inclusion and models of student engagement. I attended workshops, theory to practice seminars and panel discussions that addressed student engagement and building inclusive classrooms.
The central theme of this year’s summer institute was to encourage and guide thinking to find ways for educators and other school staff and members of the school communities to work together to create innovative avenues to engage students in their education.
Dr Carl James who is the Director of the York Centre for Education & Community (YCEC) in the Faculty of Education believes that student achievement is directly affected by engagement. It is also important for schools and communities to understand and engage with the collective experiences that students and families bring to their communities and classrooms.
I will be a trustee who will bring the issues and concerns of the school community to board discussions and decision making. I will work in partnership with school councils and community residents because I firmly believe that public education has to involve the public.
Email: votemurphybrowne@gmail.com
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