Heather Maahs has officially entered the Chilliwack school board race.
Maahs, who has served on the board for 14 years, declared on Tuesday (Aug. 16), saying she wants to continue focusing on reading skills as students emerge from a period of COVID-disrupted learning.
“There have been a lot of interruptions in learning these critical and fundamental skills over the last two years due to COVID and lock downs,” she noted in a news release. “Children have paid a high price as is evidenced in reading and math scores. The board must ensure that finances are directed towards students’ skill attainment and the boots on the ground, teachers and their classrooms.”
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Maahs also said she will continue to advocate for parental rights in education. She has frequently been aligned with Barry Neufeld and Darrell Furgason in opposition to SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) curriculum and recently spoke up against a book in a Chilliwack high school library that she said contained descriptions of boy-on-boy sexual situations.
“Parents are the first and foremost educators of their children,” she said. “They must be included in all aspects of their children’s education. There should never be topics, subject matter or books that are not fully transparent. Nothing should take place in schools without their full knowledge and consent.”
Maahs opposed keeping parents out of schools when COVID protocols were in place, and said she won’t be afraid “of asking the tough questions of administrative staff and looking for accountability.”
“I value each and every student and aspire for every one of them to succeed to their fullest potential,” Maahs said. “Every child does indeed matter.
“If these are the attributes that matter to the citizens of Chilliwack, I would ask for your support on October 15, 2022. Let’s make the board a unified voice for successful students.”
Maahs joins a field that includes Neufeld and Furgason along with Carin Bondar, Willow Reichelt, David Swankey, Brian Vangarderen and Teri Westerby.