William (Bill) Price is 59 years old and grew up in Prince Rupert and Smithers. He has experience working as an education assistant and living in Northern Manitoba with the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and tech support and living with the Yekooche First Nation.
He’s also worked with CN Railway and as a school bus driver with Diversified Transportation, a supervisor of warehouse and truck drivers and is presently the Inside Sales Representative for a local industrial supply company and shuttle driver with Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
“Over the last few months, I have seen what appears to be a board struggling to get traction on moving forward with creating a safe education environment for all students, staff and families,” said Price, as to why he is running as a trustee for School District No. 57 (SD57).
During the last 10 years, he has served on several boards including Bel Canto Choirs and the Fraser Lyric Opera Society, and provincially with the board for Food Banks BC.
“I think my experiences on diverse boards and my desire to create these safe spaces for all students, staff, and families are something that will be of use to this board.”
In terms of his position on SOGI, Price said he would like to state that “SOGI, is provincially mandated by the BC Ministry of Education. It is one element of diversity that is to be imbedded into all grade curriculums. It is designed so that all students are represented in the course material they interact with. As such, my opinion on it is irrelevant and I must put my opinions aside if they interfere with my job as a trustee.”
He said that from a personal perspective, Price believes that every staff, student, and family must find the school setting a safe place to be.
“To paraphrase Ivan Coyote, ‘Everyone needs a safe place to pee.’”
Price said he brings a wealth of knowledge from a wide variety of areas.
“One of the parts I always try to bring to all my board duties is my ability to view issues from a variety of perspectives. A vote for me is a vote for a progressive and forward-looking board.”
On Saturday June 17, voters will have to elect two candidates to fill the vacant seats on SD57’s board of education left by the resignations of Prince George trustees Betty Bekkering and Gillian Burnett.
