KPU nursing instructor running for Surrey school board trustee

NEVR founder and Kwantlen Polytechnic University nursing instructor, Dr. Balbir Gurm is running for Surrey school board trustee this fall. 

The campaign launch for TEAM Surrey Schools was held on Aug. 7, with six candidates running for school board trustee including Gurm, Maryann Pyne, Roxanne Charles, Tony Rebelo, Dupinder K. Saran, and Bobbi Taylor. 

TEAM Surrey Schools is a new team and their goals for the community are to help students, teachers, and families by giving them proper learning and teaching space and help the “journey towards success as a community,” according to their website.

Gurm says the launch was held on that day because she wanted everyone to attend and get to know TEAM Surrey Schools. The event started with an Indigenous welcome from Harley Chappell, Chief of the Semiahmoo Nation, and candidates gave their own presentations. 

Attendees were able to write feedback on what they thought TEAM Surrey Schools should prioritize, and if anything was missed in their speeches and platform.  

During the event, Gurm gave a speech on why she decided to run for school board trustee. One of her reasons is to “create a space within the school system where everyone feels valued and cared for and supported.”

It’s hard to control what goes on in a person’s home, but a school can actively be made a safe place, she says. She initially wanted to run as an independent candidate, but decided having a team was a good way to make a difference as a school board trustee. 

She wanted a diverse team with the same goals and values as her, such as respect, inclusion, and support of everyone. Since she resides on Indigenous land, she also placed importance on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

“Getting a diverse team, getting multiple perspectives, because that’s what makes a good decision. We wanted it to be representative of what Surrey looks like now,” Gurm says. 

“We’re not promising the moon or anything. All we’re promising is that we will be the voice of the community, the role of the school board and we will keep the community informed. We’ll be very accountable and transparent. We will create inclusion from the top down.” 

Along with her work at KPU and NEVR, Gurm also educates “cities and professional bodies” on diversity and inclusion. From her work, she learned change needs to be made from the top to reflect in a whole organization. 

In creating a safe space for students, Gurm wants to make sure TEAM Surrey Schools prioritizes students who learn differently, students who speak another language along with English, students with special needs, and every other student. 

“We need to figure out a way of helping [students] be the best that they can be, whatever is meant for them and whatever is within their limitations,” she says. 

Gurm says she is on leave until the election and will be in her non-teaching semester. She says she will evaluate her role on the school board, see what the time commitment is, and then determine if it will be too much while teaching full time at KPU. 

Voting for Surrey school board trustee will be on Oct. 22, with advanced voting on Oct. 5, 8, 9, and 12.