School trustee candidate Donna Sargent’s questionnaire responses were published online for Richmond voters on Oct. 6, 2026.
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Richmond school trustee candidate Donna Sargent has submitted responses to a voter questionnaire covering school priorities and student supports.
Sargent, running for school trustee as an Independent, said she is a long-serving Richmond School District trustee and described her candidacy as seeking “a strong, respected public education system” while emphasizing leadership and collaboration with students, parents, staff, and partners.
Sargent said she believes schools should teach more basics such as reading and math, and she said the curriculum should focus more on trades training.
She said she does not believe there is enough focus on social issues in the curriculum and supported teaching drug awareness in high school.
On student activity and rules, Sargent said she supports more inclusive elementary track meets, tying her response to continued evaluation of programs and ongoing dialogue with staff, parents, and students about the direction of track meet programming.
Sargent said students should have more outdoor education opportunities and said artificial intelligence should not be banned in schools, arguing that students should be aware of AI tools while also protecting learning of key skills such as reading, writing, math, and critical thinking.
She said cellphones should be banned in Richmond schools. On school staffing, Sargent said teachers are not adequately paid and that there should be more educational support workers in schools.
On SOGI policies, Sargent said she supports them and described the work as ensuring schools are “safe and welcoming” for students, adding that the provincial government requires every school district to implement SOGI in its code of conduct. She said she is committed to continuing that work.
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