What Candidates for School Trustee Should and Should not Campaign About
In many Canadian communities, candidates for school trustee campaign on promises that sound bold but reveal the candidate’s misunderstanding of the responsibilities of the office. “I’ll fire that principal,” one might say. “I’ll fix the school calendar,” says another. These may sound appealing to voters, but they reflect a fundamental confusion: trustees govern; they do not manage.
School boards in Canada are governance bodies. Trustees are not there to supervise teachers, rewrite curriculum, or resolve complaints about bus routes. They are elected to represent the public interest, set the overall direction for public education in their district, and hold the system accountable through the Board’s oversight function.
The distinction between governance and operations matters. When candidates campaign on operational issues, they mislead the public and risk undermining confidence in the board once elected. Voters may expect them to deliver on promises they have no power to fulfill, creating frustration and further eroding trust in the institution.
So what should trustee candidates be campaigning about?
Trustees govern in the public interest. That means it’s appropriate for candidates to articulate their values, what they believe public education should do and stand for. For example, a candidate might emphasize their commitment to inclusive schools, respect for Indigenous rights, or belief in the importance of early learning.
Trustees do not develop curriculum, but they do adopt local policies that shape the district’s approach to learning, safety, equity, and engagement. A trustee candidate might campaign on the need for more trauma-informed practices, a stronger commitment to reconciliation, or district-wide sustainability goals.
Rather than making promises about specific programs, candidates should base their platform on the principles that will guide their decisions on policy, budget, and board priorities. For example, “Regardless of background, identity, or ability, every student should have access to the support they need to succeed.”
Such priorities are well within the trustee’s mandate. They reflect an understanding that governance shapes what happens in classrooms, even if trustees themselves don’t make classroom-level decisions.
School boards don’t control how much money they receive from the province, but they do make decisions about how to allocate that funding within the constraints of the operating budget. A trustee candidate might focus on improving transparency, protecting funding for vulnerable learners, or evaluating how international student revenues are used.
What they can’t promise is to bring more money into the system. That’s the role of the province. Trustees can advocate to the Ministry, for example, to commit to increasing funding.
One of the most important roles of a trustee is to represent the community. That includes listening carefully, making informed decisions, and being accountable to the public. Candidates who campaign on improving transparency by holding town halls, simplifying board communications, or livestreaming meetings, for example, would be campaigning on the core of the governance role.
A good trustee understands that trust is earned through clarity and accessibility, not control.
Trustees can and should build partnerships. They can work with local First Nations, community organizations, and other levels of government to support better outcomes for students. Candidates might campaign on a commitment to strengthening these partnerships or on advocating for system-level changes that reflect their district’s needs.
Again, the key distinction is that trustees do not act as managers of the system. They act as governors: stewards of the public interest, not agents of daily operations.
Some other examples of what candidates should avoid include: “I’ll oppose that new math program,” “I’ll fight for a new school in your neighbourhood,” and I’ll change the Pro-D schedule.”
These are decisions made by school district staff within the policy and budget frameworks established by the board. A candidate who promises these things misunderstands the position or is hoping voters won’t notice.
Campaigning for school trustee in Canada is a chance to affirm the importance of public education. It’s also a test of whether candidates understand the limits and possibilities of the office. Trustees can’t run the system, but they can lead it.
For those contemplating running for school board trustee in the October 2026 election, the British Columbia School Trustees Association has produced a guide: www.bcsta.org/elections