# Vancouver School Board Trustee Election (School District 39) Trustee elections are taking place across British Columbia on **Saturday, October 17**, as part of the wider elections for mayors and city councilors. We have contacted parties and candidates and asked them: **"What is your stance on generative AI and chatbots in classrooms?"** Some have announced their support for a pause on generative AI and chatbots on classrooms, others oppose a pause, others have not yet declared. If you are a party or candidate, and if any of this information is inaccurate, please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) ## Election Guidelines - You can vote for a school trustee If it's your first time voting - Voters will choose individual candidates, not political parties when voting. - Voters can choose **up to 9** school trustee candidates. - You can [plan your vote using an online tool](https://vancouver.ca/plan-your-vote/index.aspx) that shows you the candidates, how many you can choose from. Before voting, you may find it helpful to find the [number of the candidate you are planning to vote for](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-candidates-school-trustee.aspx) ## Where do VSB candidates stand on AI in classrooms? ![[preamble]] - [[#ABC Vancouver]] - [[#COPE]] - [[#TEAM For A Livable Vancouver]] - [[#Green Party of Vancouver]] - [[#Vancouver Liberals]] - [[#Vote Vancouver]] - [[#True Blue Vancouver]] ### ABC Vancouver <img src="vsb-abc.webp" class="float-right" width="200" /> > [!Fail] Has not declared their stance, but Microsoft Copilot rollout happened under ABC majority The current Microsoft Copilot rollout happened under an ABC majority, so it's safe to assume that they support AI in classrooms. - [Party website](https://abcvancouver.ca/abc-team/](https://abcvancouver.ca/abc-team/)) **Candidates** | Alfred Chien | Preeti Faridkot | Maria Kritikos | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |  |  |  | | **Matt Kroeker** | **Rob Nijjar** | **Shirley Sio** | |  |  |  | | **Lina Vargas** | | | |  | | | ### COPE <img src="vsb-cope.png" class="float-right" width="200" /> > [!Success] Supports a Pause on AI > COPE has provided us with the following statement regarding their stance on AI in schools. > > - COPE is opposed to the 2026 spring implementation of Microsoft Copilot at VSB, including the use of GenAI and chatbots in Vancouver schools. > - COPE will put a pause on the use of GenAI and chatbots. > > (More details in full statement below) > [!info]- Full statement (click to expand) > > - COPE is opposed to the 2026 spring implementation of Microsoft Copilot at VSB, including the use of GenAI and chatbots in Vancouver schools. > - COPE will put a pause on the use of GenAI and chatbots. > - COPE will engage and consult with stakeholders and the broader community to implement a technology audit with a specific focus on the use of AI in schools. > - COPE will engage and consult with stakeholders and the broader community to create VSB policies and procedures to address the concerns below: > - Safety and privacy for students > - Impact of AI usage on learning outcomes > - Impact of AI usage on student mental health > - Equity of technology resources > - Need for transparent and robust consultation with stakeholders and community on AI usage and adoption in schools. > - Impact on the use of and validity of results when AI is used for public engagement and consultation. > - Impact on climate and the environment of AI usage and adoption > - Lack of student AI usage policies and procedures > - Lack of staff AI usage policies and procedures > - VSB practises potentially in conflict with proposed Federal Bill C-34, The Safe Social Media Act - [Party website](https://www.votecope.ca/schools) | **Suzie Mah** | **Derrick O'Keefe** | **Melanie Cheng** | | ---| --- | --- | |  |  |  | | **Gwen Giesbrecht** | | | |  | | | ### TEAM For A Livable Vancouver <img src="vsb-team.png" class="float-right" width="200" /> > [!Success] Supports a Pause on AI > TEAM's [school board plan](https://www.voteteam.ca/our-positions-home-2026/schools-2026/schools-learn-more) has action items that they plan to implement if elected. Number four in the list states: > > Pause the rollout of Microsoft Copilot 13+ in secondary schools until research shows that the benefits outweigh the risks, and students, families and educators have been meaningfully consulted - [Party website](https://www.voteteam.ca/candidates-2026) **Candidates** | Kathryn Nystedt | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | |  | ### Green Party of Vancouver <img src="vsb-green.png" class="float-right" width="200" /> > [!Success] Supports a Pause on AI > > The Vancouver Greens support a pause and thorough review of the use of generative AI in Vancouver schools. While students need to understand emerging technologies, AI should not replace the development of critical thinking, writing, creativity and independent learning. Any future use should include strong safeguards related to student learning, cognitive impacts, ethics, privacy, safety, academic integrity and wellbeing. Educators should help shape how these tools are used, and trustees have a responsibility to establish clear standards and ensure technology is serving students’ best interests. - [Party website](https://www.vangreens.ca/candidates) | Julie Strilesky | Alisha Masongsong | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | |  |  | ### OneCity Vancouver <img src="vsb-onecity.webp" class="float-right" width="200" /> > [!Warning] Has not yet declared their stance - [Party website](https://www.onecityvancouver.ca/our_candidates) | Krista Sigurdson | Christopher Lee | Steve Cardwell | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | |  |  |  | | **Sherry Breshears** | **Rory Brown** | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | ### True Blue Vancouver > [!Warning] Supports some reductions on AI in classrooms > [!info]- Party statement (click to expand) > We would like to ban AI for school from grades K-9 and for educational purposes, with supervision, allow students in grades 10 and above to have access to artificial intelligence. > [!comment] Our statement > TrueBlue's website is made using Next.js and hosted on Vercel, an AI platform. - [Party website](https://truebluevancouver.com/#candidates) | Blair Coleman | Fenton Travers | Jason Xu | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |  |  |  | ### Vancouver Liberals <img src="vsb-vancouver-liberals.webp" class="float-right" width="200" /> > [!Fail] Opposes a Pause on AI > > "Students are going out there and using AI, whether it's part of the curriculum or not," [mayoral candidate Kareem Allam] said. When it's not, Allam added, student outcomes decline as many use the technology to cheat or circumvent their learning. > > "Where it's integrated into the curriculum, with ethics, all the oversights that you would expect or want to see, the outcomes for students got better," he said. > > That being said, Allam would align with the position of the province and the BC Teachers' Federation on providing students with AI chatbot accounts. > > <small>(Source: Vancouver Liberals website, [Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI?](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/where_do_vancouver_parties_stand_on_ai))</small> > [!comment] Our statement > Kareem's claim that where AI is "integrated into the curriculum, with ethics, all the oversights that you would expect or want to see, the outcomes for students got better" is [[Why Pause AI#AI harms learning|not consistent with research]]. - [Party website](https://www.vancouverliberals.com/candidates_caucus) | Joshua Cameron | Isabel Ochoa | Ishi Dinim | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |  |  |  | | **Darren Boidman** | **Noosha Mehdian** | |  |  | | ### Vote Vancouver > [!Warning] Has not yet declared their stance We have contacted Vote Vancouver but have not yet heard back from them. - [Party website](https://www.votevancouver.ca/candidates) | Amarys Joseph | Mandy Potter | Tasha Doucas | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |  |  |  |