This message to voters in Pickering is from
Emma Cunningham, candidate for
TRUSTEE, DURHAM SCHOOL BOARD.
Hi, I’m Emma, and I’m running to be one of your Pickering DDSB Trustees.
I’ve been a political junkie for quite some time, but I’ve never felt inspired to put my name on the ballot before this year.
I have two children registered with the DDSB, and what a wild ride it’s been these past few years!
My eldest child has been in both in-person and virtual schools and my youngest has had his entire kindergarten experience online (thank you, Mrs. Hunt, for making a virtual kindergarten class so much fun and rich with activities, and thank you, Mr. Anderson and the Campus Connect team for keeping things exciting.) I’ve seen the DDSB shine above other districts when it comes to how they approached virtual education during the pandemic. I’ve seen my daughter’s French blossom over the five years she’s been in French Immersion and I’m looking forward to seeing my son start learning a second language as he enters Gr 1 this fall.
I’ve seen the DDSB flail when it comes to establishing an equitable Human Rights Policy and was shocked and appalled at the point of view that came from our local Trustee Paul Crawford. I’ve seen the Board fight to reinstate Indigenous-authored books that never should have been banned. I’ve seen multiple scandals coming out of the Board, with trustees resigning in protest. I knew the time had come to do something about it.
I’m a proud supporter of teachers and have spent a fair amount of time at the picket lines over the past ten years as an ally.
Outside of education, I’m proud to be very active in the community in Pickering. I currently serve as the Executive Director of Caremongers Pickering-Ajax, a grassroots and volunteer-led organization helping get food into the hands of those who can’t get it themselves. Currently, we are focused on delivering food from St. Paul’s food bank to Pickering residents who are house-bound, disabled, or without transportation. I’ve volunteered on one federal campaign, two provincial, and one municipal. I attend many events at my local synagogue and learn regularly with my Rabbi. I was on the front lines with EANAP fighting to save our wetlands from development. And I’ve stood up for the 2SLGBTQ community at every opportunity.
If you vote for me, I will not just fight for children, but for the future of our society. You don’t need to have children yourself to be invested in education. We all need to have a say in the development of people we’ll be passing the world onto.
Sincerely,
Emma Cunningham
