The Burnaby board of education says its decision to turn down an invitation to travel to Mesa, Ariz. with a City of Burnaby delegation this week had nothing to do with the fact a Mesa school board member is suing the Mesa school district and superintendent over guidelines for supporting trans students.
Chair Bill Brassington said the Burnaby board wasn't even aware of the lawsuit and it "did not factor" in its decision making.
The school board was invited to join the delegation, which left on April 9 and will return on April 13, but Brassington declined in a letter to council last month.
"While the opportunity to have two representatives from the board to accompany the City of Burnaby delegation on this trip is greatly appreciated, I will respectfully decline," he wrote. "And while this is certainly an interesting opportunity, it does not align with the current priorities of the board."
Brassington declined requests for an interview with the NOW, but in a series of emailed statements he said the board appreciated the invitation since "much can be gained from seeing firsthand what other jurisdictions are doing" but the Mesa trip's itinerary didn't "focus directly on education in the Mesa, Ariz. area."
"As a board, we're focused on the work here in Burnaby and are in the process of creating the next strategic plan that will guide the district's work in the coming years," Brassington wrote. "We made a decision to spend our time and limited resources focused on the work here."
When asked if cost was a factor in turning down the trip, the chair said "the cost for individual trustees to travel is not a budget priority that the board wanted to take on."
But the pass this year doesn't signal a diminishing commitment by the school board to carry on sister-city relationships it has been a part of in the past, according to Brassington.
"The decision to decline the offer to travel with the City of Burnaby to Mesa is not a reflection on the relationship, overall, with Mesa or connected to any future opportunities," he said.
The Burnaby school board has long advocated for LGBTQ+ inclusion and support, including in its sexual orientation/gender identity (SOGI) policy, adopted in 2011.
Mesa Public Schools also has supports in place for trans students, but board member Rachel Walden is now suing the district and its superintendent over those guidelines.
The lawsuit was filed in November on Walden's behalf by America First Legal Foundation, a legal group founded by ex-Trump administration officials.
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