Kathleen Karpuk

Candidate for School Trustee 73 - TEA1

Nomination Documents

Contact Information

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Personal Information

Resident of: Brocklehurst
Current Occupation: Finance Co-ordinator

Incumbent

Political Experience:

I have been a School Trustee for the past 4 terms. I am active at both the regional and provincial level being on the Thompson Okanagan Branch Executive of the BC School Trustees Association for the past three years, being a member of the BCSTA Capital Working Group for two years and am a current member of the BCSTA Finance and Audit Committee.

Biography

I first moved to Kamloops in the early 90's to attend what was then UCC. It was there that I met my husband of 25 years, Stephen, and started being actively involved in the Kamloops community. I was a member of the Student Union that started the Safe Walk program and initiated the Student Building. During that time I was also part of the UCC Sports Council and volunteered for the Canada Summer Games. I've continued my active involvement with the Kamloops community as a member of Rotary, as a 4-H Leader, with United Church Of Kamloops Youth Drama productions, the Kamloops Tsunami Summer Swim Club, roadside cleanups and many other volunteer opportunities. I have served as a member of the Mayor's Advisory Committee for Person's with Disabilities and Make Children First as well as multiple other committees.

I have three children who currently attend schools in SD73. I now work for the City of Kamloops after spending the past few years working with BC Wildfire. My husband Stephen, owns a small business and is also active within the community. I have been a School Trustee for the past four terms and am seeking a fifth. I passionately believe that education is the key to a strong and prosperous community and that when all students are able to succeed, we all benefit.


Organization Endorsements

Kamloops & District Labour Council

We are the elected representatives of roughly 13,000 unionized workers in the Kamloops area covering Merritt to Valemount and Chase to Lillooet.

Our affiliates work collaboratively to advance the economic and social welfare of workers and with other progressive organizations in the promotion of social justice and human rights as described in the United Nations’ Charter of Human Rights.

We are members of the BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress, the latter of which represents over three-million unionized Canadians.

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Answers to Questions from the Public

Do you think education should be treated as an essential service?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

Education is a fundamental right, which makes it an essential service. An extended interruption in a students educational experience would have implications in terms of learning loss and the loss of potential earnings if graduation was delayed. This does however, result in a decrease in leverage for negotiations for a primarily female workforce which results in it's own set of inequities.

How would you address the challenges of the current funding structure for students with special needs?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

Simply put, the current funding system doesn't recognize the individual needs of students. Some students need full time aides (who aren't paid nearly enough), others need specialized resources, others need environmental supports (less noise, less crowding) and many students who need support aren't recognized (students with family stressors, students in care, students being bullied). Continued lobbying is required, and individual MLAs (who as a whole are responsible for funding decisions) need to be shown why this funding model doesn't work and why additional resources are needed.

Please describe the principles of public education and how education should be funded.

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

Public Education should enable all students to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Students who graduate should be equipped with literacy, numeracy, critical thinking and "soft" people skills such as the ability to communicate, the ability to adapt and the ability to be a responsible member of society.

Education is a public good that we all benefit from. All of the professionals that we depend on - doctors, nurses, tradespeople, first responders, etc. wouldn't be able to do their jobs without a basic education. Employers wouldn't have good employees without a robust education system. As such, it should remain being public funded. At question is if the funding is sufficient and is it equitable?

How will you promote ethical purchases, including local unionized goods and services, where available?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor, School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

This is a policy that may be worth exploring by the next Board.

Do you support the Living Wage for Families Campaign? Please explain why or why not.

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor, School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

A Living Wage ensures that employees are able to have good housing, decent food and a reasonable standard of living without having the additional stress of making ends meet. Happy employees with a good standard of living are less stressed and more efficient because they can concentrate on their job and not how their going to make their payments.

Describe your position on Contracting Out and Public Private Partnerships and how they effect existing jobs.

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor, School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

Contracting out seems very counterintuitive. A profit driven company who needs to take some of the money off the top of the contract can only provide either less of a service or lower wages to employees, neither of which go to building a better community.

What do you believe are the critical issues facing your community and school district?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

1) Our social fabric has been severely strained over the past few years with Covid, the fires, Le Estcwey (the missing), the floods and now the economic uncertainty with rapidly rising inflation.
2) The need for new schools in Kamloops as surrounding communities. Our schools are overflowing leading to suboptimal learning conditions and our buildings are old. We need a substantial investment from the provincial government in new schools for our district.
3) Additional supports for students. Differentiated and individualized education requires a lot of work from teachers and support staff as well as resources. When funding lags inflation, supports and programs don't meet the needs of students creating inequities within our system.

What are the top three critical issues facing your community?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

1) Our social fabric has been severely strained over the past few years with Covid, the fires, Le Estcwey (the missing), the floods and now the economic uncertainty with rapidly rising inflation.
2) The need for new schools in Kamloops as surrounding communities. Our schools are overflowing leading to suboptimal learning conditions and our buildings are old. We need a substantial investment from the provincial government in new schools for our district.
3) Additional supports for students. Differentiated and individualized education requires a lot of work from teachers and support staff as well as resources. When funding lags inflation, supports and programs don't meet the needs of students creating inequities within our system.

Are you or have you ever been active in any community organizations, actions, or campaigns?
Describe your volunteer work, positions, and any tangible change to the community from your involvement. Are you still involved with this work?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor, School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

I have been active with Rotary, as a 4-H Leader, as a volunteer with the United Church Youth Drama productions, a Board member for the Kamloops Tsunami Summer Swim Club and other groups. I am still active with Rotary and the swim club. Rotary actively works to improve the quality of life for all Kamloopsians throught their support of the Food Bank, school programs and many other initiatives.

If you are a Union member, does your union (provide union/local name) offer endorsement to members running for public office? If so, have you applied for/received endorsement from your union?

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor, School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

As a very new member of CUPE 900, I am not sure. I have not applied for an endorsement.

Have you ever been a candidate or volunteered in a previous civic, provincial, or federal election? If so, please give details.

Asked by: Kamloops and District Labour Council asked the City Councillor, Mayor, School Trustee 73 - TEA1 Candidates
Kathleen Karpuk Answered

I have been a School Trustee with SD73 for the past four terms.