Endorsement from Melanie and Brad Tapson
Dundas JPS and Queen Alexandra MS Parents
As longtime TDSB parents, and with Melanie’s experience as both a former TDSB teacher and School Council Co-Chair, we know that caring deeply about public education is only part of what it takes to be an effective trustee. Our schools are complicated, our communities are incredibly diverse, and advocating for them well requires someone who understands not only what families and educators need, but how to navigate the system and actually get things done.
That’s what impresses us about Maureen.
We first got to know her simply as a fellow TDSB parent, but the more we’ve learned about her work in schools, community organizing and government, the more obvious it has become that she has a pretty remarkable combination of skills for this job. She listens. She communicates exceptionally well. She understands how systems work and who needs to be at the table. And she’s creative and resourceful enough to find a way forward when the obvious answer is “there isn’t enough.”
We’ve seen that resourcefulness firsthand at Market Lane PS. Faced with a tiny budget for the school Fun Fair, Maureen looked outward, built partnerships with local organizations, and brought the community into the school. The result was a joyful event full of opportunities for kids and families that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
That example stuck with us because we believe strong public schools help build strong communities, and strong communities, in turn, make our schools better. Especially at a time when schools are being asked to do more and more with less, we want a trustee who understands both halves of that equation.
Effective advocacy also takes more than knowing what isn’t working. It takes knowing where the levers are: who has the ability to make change, when to push, when to listen, who to bring together, and how to turn frustration into productive action. It means being able to respond to the problem in front of you while still seeing the bigger picture and advocating for the long-term future of public education.
We think Maureen is exceptionally well suited to do that work. She brings together the perspective of a TDSB parent, hands-on experience in school and community organizing, an understanding of government, excellent communication skills, and a genuine curiosity about the people and neighbourhoods she hopes to represent.
Our ward encompasses enormously varied schools and communities, and representing them well requires someone willing to get out into those communities, listen to what is happening on the ground, understand what makes each one different, and make sure those voices reach the places where decisions are being made.
Maureen is knowledgeable, passionate, creative, deeply engaged in her community and, perhaps most importantly, knows how to turn all of that into action. We think she will be a terrific advocate for our schools, our kids and our communities, and we’re very happy to endorse her for TDSB Trustee.
-Melanie and Brad Tapson, Dundas PS & Queen Alexandra MS family
