LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Serving the public

Recently our local radio station published a list of questions for school board candidates in the upcoming election. The questions were prepared and sent to candidates by Brad Unger – an outgoing but still sitting school trustee and now a candidate for city council.

They were answered by Jeff Friesen, a sitting school trustee, currently vice-chair of the HSD board and a candidate for election to continue as a school trustee.

The list of questions from Brad and Jeff’s answers online seem narrowly focused on non-educational issues which they seem to want to make central to the campaign. And the questions are designed as a way of determining whether the candidate fits their ideological and religious profile – not an honest attempt at open and respectful discussion.

In fact, if you follow the link to his Facebook page entitled Niverville Open Discussion Group you will find Jeff baiting the candidates online that don’t immediately respond, with the question, “Are you scared?”

As I see it, both men exhibit a lack of full understanding of what authentic public service entails.

They both quote from the Bible in their public communication, which they use to dismiss the legitimacy of LGBTQ students (and constituents) while claiming to respect them.

Brad also suggests that white students in HSD are somehow being made to feel guilty for being white. This sounds a bit like the Great Replacement theory that is popular with far-right nationalist conspiracy thinking, but it is not at all a reality in HSD.

Holding Christian beliefs and living them fully in one’s private and personal life is not being questioned here at all. In fact, I would hope that this would apply to me as well as a Canadian citizen under our laws and the Charter of Rights.

But neither Steinbach nor Hanover are still the monolithic white Mennonite Christian communities they once were. Fortunately immigration from a wide range of nations has brought a new vibrancy and diversity to our towns and villages. Not to mention a booming local economy! And HSD counts over 700 students of Indigenous and Métis background.

So to be an elected public servant with integrity would mean serving each and every student and constituent with full and equal respect, regardless of religion, race, skin colour, origin, or sexual orientation.

If one’s religious beliefs do not allow for this, then public service may not be the right place to be.