Dana Ebtekar Announces Candidacy for SD43 School Trustee By-Election

Following Jennifer Blatherwick’s election as MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville in October 2024, a vacancy has opened on the SD43 School Board. Coquitlam resident Dana Ebtekar, a high school science teacher in Surrey, has announced his candidacy for the by-election scheduled for Saturday, February 22.

Ebtekar brings extensive experience in education and community involvement. He serves as the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) lead at his school, is a member of the health and safety committee, and coordinates track and field for the Surrey Secondary School Athletics Association. Additionally, he is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, works in the cadet program, and co-founded the non-profit Theatrical Arts Education Association of Canada.

His platform focuses on restoring extracurricular activities, fostering more inclusive classrooms, increasing stakeholder engagement, and securing additional resources such as more teachers and education assistants. He believes there is a disconnect between policy decisions and classroom realities and hopes to bridge that gap.

One of SD43’s greatest strengths, he says, is “the community that the teachers have,” including the accessibility of school trustees and union representatives.

Ebtekar emphasizes the importance of supporting teachers and staff. “Ensuring that we are giving our teachers and support staff everything they need to get their classrooms up and running is critical,” he said, noting that this will help bring back extracurricular programs.

He also strongly supports the Smart Start early education program. “These programs are vital,” he said. “I will work to bring back the ones that were unfortunately closed and possibly even expand the program.”

Ebtekar is a vocal advocate for implementing a Sanctuary School policy. “A child’s immigration status should never determine whether they have access to education,” he stated.

Having immigrated to Canada from Iran, Ebtekar is grateful for the opportunities he has had and is eager to give back to his community. “Working with our youth and ensuring they have every possible opportunity is the best way for me to do that,” he said.