Richmond school trustee candidate Sophia Woo says schools need stronger literacy, numeracy and drug prevention

The Story

Sophia Woo is campaigning for a seat as a Richmond school trustee with Advance Richmond, in a Richmond-area civic election questionnaire series that the outlet said would be published online from Sept. 28 to Oct. 8.

In the questionnaire, Woo described herself as a mental health clinician and researcher, and said she has a master’s degree in social work. She also said she previously served as a school trustee with the Vancouver School Board and pointed to that experience as preparing her to balance public office priorities with “best financial management practices.”

Woo said she is running again because she sees “glaring problems” at the school district and argued the district is facing budget shortfalls, which she linked in part to losing students to private schools. She said she has 30 years of public service experience and argued that her focus is on “common sense and fiscal responsibility.”

On school learning priorities, Woo said schools should teach more basics such as reading and math, stating B.C. has experienced a multi-year decline in students’ reading and numeracy skills since the 2015 modernization of the curriculum. She cited that about 40 per cent of students fail to meet basic numeracy standards by the time they graduate from high school, and said only 74 per cent of grade 10 students meet the “pending proficiency benchmark.” She said achieving grade-level proficiency in literacy and numeracy should be a “non-negotiable priority,” and associated that goal with measures including strategic budgeting, funding evidence-based programs and protecting instructional time.

Woo said trades training should be a focus in the curriculum, and she said the curriculum should place enough emphasis on social issues. She also said elementary track meets should be more inclusive and that students should have more outdoor education opportunities.

On school governance and taxation, Woo said school districts should be allowed to set school tax rates, describing a shift in the 1990s when the province took over school-tax responsibilities from school districts. She said homeowners pay the levy based on a provincial formula, but argued that high property values in urban areas create an uneven burden. She said she would advocate for an equitable share of the provincial school tax pool, sufficient revenue and capacity and infrastructure funding, including seismic upgrades and English Language Learner support, framed around maximizing the value of local tax dollars.

For drug education, Woo said students should be taught drug awareness in high school. She said that in the Lower Mainland about 15 per cent of high school students have tried illicit drugs, and argued that drug awareness and prevention education should be part of a comprehensive public health strategy. She said she would advocate for updated substance-use policies, collaboration with law enforcement to address marketing and access, action against illegal supply to youth, evidence-based curricula, and resources for staff and student support, including early intervention and standardized overdose response.

In other responses, Woo said artificial intelligence should not be banned in schools, and said cellphones should be banned in Richmond schools. She also said teachers are not adequately paid and said there should be more educational support workers in schools. She gave no answer provided for whether she supports SOGI policies in Richmond schools.

Woo’s questionnaire responses included statements that she and former Vancouver School Board chair Dr. Kenneth Denike negotiated with the federal government to fund settlement workers in school districts.