Safety Concerns Drive Brandon School Division Trustee Candidate

The upcoming byelection for the Ward 1 trustee seat in the Brandon School Division has brought safety concerns to the forefront, particularly for candidate Michael Grantham. Following a sword attack at École secondaire Neelin High School in June that resulted in one student sustaining injuries, Grantham emphasizes that ensuring the safety and well-being of students is crucial.

“Kids being safe and being able to feel that way and going to school is paramount,” Grantham stated. He is one of seven candidates in the race, facing competition from Laura Armitage, Bonnie-Lynn Mills, Shawna Mozdzen, Eren Oleson, Himanshu Shah, and Henry Sieklicki.

In his campaign, Grantham proposes several measures to enhance safety in schools, including the installation of working cameras, the presence of safety officers, and better control of school zones. He suggested that educational assistants could take on roles as safety officers to help address these issues.

“We have to slow down going through school zones. And I understand that signs are posted,” he explained. “Do we make them more noticeable? Do we put lights on it so they’re flashing just to kind of give people that heads up again?”

Having moved to Brandon at a young age, Grantham has lived in the city since he was in Grade 3. He currently manages an insurance brokerage and views his candidacy as an opportunity to contribute positively to his community.

In addition to safety, Grantham expressed his stance against the banning of books in school libraries. His views come in light of recent legislative actions in neighboring Alberta, where the provincial government imposed a ban on books containing explicit content. He noted that previous attempts to ban certain books could have inadvertently included significant literary works such as The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984.

“I’m not a fan of banning books — information and knowledge is power,” Grantham remarked. “Some of those kids that are wondering are curious, or don’t know if there are others like them. Having those books and that information available, I, for one, feel is a good thing. I’m all about inclusivity and information being available.”

Grantham also highlighted the need for the Brandon School Division to be more accommodating to newcomers, particularly in addressing language barriers. “Do we have the proper resources for a lot of the influx of new people that are coming in?” he asked, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and support for diverse communities.

Although surprised by the number of candidates running, Grantham expressed optimism for the election, stating, “May the best candidate win.” The byelection was necessitated by the resignation of Blaine Foley in March.

Voters will head to the polls on October 16, 2023, with advance voting scheduled for October 8 and 11. The next general school board election is set for October 28, 2026, coinciding with the municipal election.