We were able to record the first 35 minutes of the forum. The media was present, and we have included links below, as well as tweets (personal notes) from a journalist.

If you want to skip forward in the video: Question 1 at 04:05, (Q2 wasn’t asked), Question 3 at 12:15, Question 4 at 19:20, Question 5 at 28:00.

Articles

Metro News – Calgary school trustee candidates call for funding, parent input

Calgary Herald – CBE trustee candidates talk budget concerns

Live Tweets

Jeremy Nolais @Metro_Nolais.

  • Just into opening remarks at #yycbe forum. Five candidates, one seat, who will survive. #realityshowthrowback #yyc #abed
  • Question is how to engage parents/solicit feedback. Lloyd points out she was head of CAPSC until recent. CAPSC hosting forum #yycbe #yyc
  • McAsey says school councils primarily focus on in-house issues. Says trustees help escalate plans to next level #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • Morgan says she wants to talk more with students. Notes they’re becoming more vocal on issues. #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • Have covered a few trustee forums. Biggest crowd I’ve seen at one http://ow.ly/i/abcDy  #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • “Kids don’t have a filter, they tell it like it is,” Morgan says #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • Hrdlicka says many don’t know role of trustees, “this a problem” #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • Next question is on no funding for growth. over/under 3 candidates say “predictable, sustainable” in that order #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • McAsey has talked a couple times already about partnering with pvt industry. Interesting stuff #yycbe #abed #yyc
  • Did McAsey say he would or wouldn’t question #yycbe expenditures. Isn’t that part of the job? #yycbe #abed #yyc [note: he said “wouldn’t”]
  • Morgan says #yycbe needs to stop spending on non-essential items #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan says at one school parent council was asked to fundraise for toilets. Wowza. #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Phillips say tech in schools “archaic,” says many comps are “hand me downs.” He is a former teacher #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka says “cuts have ripple effects,” addressing 3 per cent reductions in certain grant areas #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka says if teachers can’t perform at their best, how will students #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Lloyd says boards “fighting for teachers, not textbooks.” Province has said boards not allowed to reduce teacher counts #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Lloyd references cuts to CAPSC last year. Says her campaign focuses on value of money, smaller signs, etc. #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Interesting — everyone sticking close to notes. Have seen past forums where candidates pretty much went at it free of paper #yyc #yycbe 1/2
  • Not sure this way engages audience as much. See many bowed heads . . . and just caught one guy dozing a bit #yyc #yycbe #abed 2/2
  • Phillips talks staffing. Big question is who will teach in new schools. Some BG near bottom of this http://ow.ly/L3ypv  #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Lloyd says no way gov. gives back taxation powers soon. Hrdlicka has called for such a move http://ow.ly/L3yA1  #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • McAsey says there “lots of businesses out there that have funds, that want to spend it” #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Early schtick of McAsey is pvt partners, Llloyd is past CAPSC experience, Hrdlicka is community connections. #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan focusing on talks with kids and school councils. Phillips talks from view of man who was in system #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Yes, there will be free-for-all audience questions. I expect will be more telling part of forum #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka says CBE is a “huge bureaucracy,” reiterate that people don’t know about trustee role #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka refs Christine Meikle, notes Varsity saying it wasn’t consulted. Here’s where that’s at http://ow.ly/L3yZ8  #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Lloyd says she’s the only candidate to have attended board meetings for past year. I don’t even go anymore 🙂 #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • McAsey says “we can only beat this horse so long” when it comes to prov. funding #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • McAsey is really straying furthest from current practice, methinks. Do others in the audience agree? #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan says twice she’s been “disillusioned” in CBE decision-making, has been denied ability to have her say twice #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • First question is vision for system. Hrdlicka vouches for “community hub” schools, including during summer #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan says she doesn’t want to see kids put on list for charter school #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • “Public education needs to be everybody’s first choice,” Morgan says #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Phillips wants kids to become “lifelong learners,” says many HS students disengaged #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Question asked about learning from charters and expanding their mandate, trustees have no control over the latter part #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Lloyd says charters should remain, but wants to build base for public board #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • “CBE is just as good as any of the other schools,” McAsey says, adds too much focus on the “bad” #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan says 5 charters within walking distance of her community. Says kids leave CBE for Grade 4 #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Phillips is talking about alternative CBE schools, not charters. I don’t think he gets the question. #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Charters are publicly funded, pvt schools do receive funding too, but not 100 per cent #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka says charters have created “competition,” doesn’t vouch for them. Says all kids should have equal opportunity. #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • McAsey says he’s not aware of pvt school funding model. He doesn’t see problem with those schools #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan says she wouldn’t take money from charters, pvt. #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Phillips says “he’s totally against” pvt school funding, but says trustees have no say #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Phillips draws one clap, at least one boo for speaking against pvt schools #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka has problem with pvt, says priority has to be with public #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Morgan brings up the “new math” some fear with Inspiring Ed. Says there’s a need to embrace fact that society’s changing #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Phillips says Inspiring Ed varies among schools, teachers, says it will work with proper funding #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Hrdlicka says “many teachers haven’t been trained in this process,” referring to Inspiring Ed #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Question is who knows best principal or board — Hrdlicka say likes local autonomy #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Lloyd says building strong community base is key. She’s said it a few times #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • McAsey gives the most blunt answer — vouches for principal. “Principal knows best” #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • Last question — how will you work trustees you disagree with? 1/2
  • Fun! Hope none say “we’d go in pvt and come up with a common answer” #yyc #yycbe #abed 2/2
  • Lloyd says board camaraderie is key, but also notes majority rules #yyc #yycbe #abed
  • McAsey says few of the candidates actually live in the ward. Anyone have a count on that? #yyc #yycbe #abed