Dear Editor,
Re: Pro-SOGI trustee candidates dominate Richmond school board, Oct. 21, 2018
As Mr. Hamaguchi has stated, that “a lot of support of anti-SOGI movement came from outside of Richmond,” I am wondering what data and what information he has to verify this? Who were those people “doing the circuit?”
My husband and I are from Richmond and we were actively protesting against having the SOGI curriculum being imposed upon our family. So, yes, I was “loud,” but from inside of Richmond.
Yes, my position wasn’t “translated into” an actual vote, but for another reason not as stated. And this is offensive to me and I am sure to other concerned parents, who I have met during that time, who were doing the same thing as us. These were residents of Richmond and all of them had children attending public schools in our city.
I didn’t vote in October because I had not become a citizen yet, I was a PR. As simple as that. We could think of other possible reasons people were not able to vote at that time, and all of us were reading your conclusion about us: “It’s (anti-SOGI movement) people basically doing circuit.” Right! Like I have nothing else to do than just jumping from one corner of Metro Vancouver to another just to make some noise.
Could Mr. Hamaguchi be more specific: how much was exactly “a lot?” “A lot” – this is what I see: 12,266 votes for Richard Lee; 10,958 votes for Alice S. Wong; 8,244 votes for Ivan Pak; 7,834 votes for Charvine ADL.
These are “a lot” of numbers for me that were translated into actually votes for “Parents’ Slate.” And it would be more useful to hear from the new board the words of confirmation to all of these voters, and personally to me, that trustees still will be caring about our concerns, that our “diversity” will be equally included and the values of our families will not be undermined, respected regardless if they align with the trustee’s personal views or not, instead of reading about their regrets that one candidate didn’t win a seat this time.
What I do care about is what will happen to my children in the public school system, what will happen to the freedom of my family, will I still be left with the parental choice to opt out my children from the topics which are controversial to our family beliefs.
I would like to thank Richard Lee for his humble and fair promise to serve all people of Richmond, regardless of his personal views. That makes me feel that my voice would be validated. Remember, you are not “the lone anti-SOGI voice” here in Richmond, but 12,266 voices behind you, voices of people who trusted you with the well-being of their children.
Maria Mead
RICHMOND
