Tina Patterson for TOL SD35 School Trustee

07/27/2026

about Section 177: Why are school districts keeping us in the dark?

A parent recently reached out to ask my opinion on parents being “sectioned” by their school district. As you can imagine, I have a lot of thoughts on this.

For those who may not know, of the BC School Act—often colloquially referred to as being "sectioned"— is a provincial law titled "Maintenance of Order." It gives school authorities the immediate legal power to ban, remove, or restrict individuals from school property to protect student/staff safety and ensure education isn't severely disrupted. While the law has a purpose, many in the community have seen it against parents of children with special needs who are simply advocating fiercely for their kids.

The most interesting question this parent raised is:

Why are there no official statistics on how many parents—especially parents of children with diverse needs—are being sectioned in BC?

If you look into it, the standard official response is that “there are no public statistics on the use of Section 177 because school districts are not legally required to aggregate this data, and doing so would conflict with provincial privacy laws.” They often reference the BC Ministry of Education's Policy on the Protection of Personal Information when Reporting on Small Populations.
Admittedly, I find this justification incredibly circular. It feels like a convenient shield that allows school districts to cloak their disciplinary actions in secrecy.

The province's privacy policy states that data must be masked when a population is so small (fewer than 10 individuals) that a person's identity could be reverse-engineered. But that doesn't mean districts can't track or report aggregate data at all.

Why can't we have simple, anonymized monthly reporting at public school board meetings?

For example:

"This month, the Superintendent received reports of X number of Section 177 orders issued across elementary, middle, and high schools."

Reporting a single, district-wide number preserves privacy while providing vital public accountability. If a district is issuing an unusually high number of bans, the public and the board deserve to know so they can ask why.

What are your thoughts? Would this type of data tracking be a useful tool for systemic advocacy, or would it just add to the administrative pile?

07/27/2026

Check out my latest blog post!

https://www.tinapatterson.ca/post/it-takes-a-village-lessons-from-a-week-on-the-campaign-trail

Please share with your family, friends, & neighbours.

What a week it has been! ☀️ From campaigning door-to-door, volunteering, to answering your emails and messages, I have been learning so much about the wonderful people who make up the Township of Langley.Here are my three biggest takeaways from the week: • Lesson 1: People truly love the TOL. ...

07/25/2026

Volunteering for the Langley Rams today and every home game! Go 🐏’s Such a fun family event! 💛🏈

07/24/2026

Checkout my latest blog post!

https://www.tinapatterson.ca/post/why-governance-experience-and-non-partisanship-matter-for-sd35

Please share with your friends and contacts!

As an educator and parent, I firmly believe that politics do not belong in schools. The choices made in the board room directly impact our community—specifically, the 27,600 students and nearly 5,000 staff members within the Langley School District. Politics do not belong in schools — we must re...

07/23/2026

Huge thank you to for the incredible work you do in our community! 🙌 Meaningful work is about so much more than a paycheck—it is about connection, purpose, and belonging. Everyone deserves the chance to thrive in the workplace, regardless of ability. ❤️

For most teenagers, landing a first job is a rite of passage. For youth with disabilities, the barriers between wanting to work and actually getting hired are often significant, and the support to navigate them isn't always there.
YouthWorks is ILS's answer to that gap.
It's an ILS-funded employment initiative for young people aged 16 to 19 who are interested in paid work. Every participant goes through a discovery process with ILS and their school partners - a genuine conversation about their skills, their interests, and what kind of work would actually be a good fit for them. From there, ILS finds the match, sets up the placement, and provides on-the-job coaching and support throughout.
Jobs run up to six weeks over the summer, with the possibility of ongoing part-time employment for participants who want to keep going. The goal isn't just a paycheque. It's confidence, skills, community connection, and the knowledge that there's a place for you in Langley's workforce.
Applications open in January and are accepted through April. If you have a young person in your life who could benefit from YouthWorks, visit the link in our bio to learn more.
Follow ILS for more on YouthWorks and what inclusive employment looks like in Langley.

07/22/2026

Yikes! It’s 36 degrees out there right now and the smoke is not helping things. Please on each other, especially your neighbours who are , those you know need extra support, and those who don’t have ac.

07/22/2026

A huge thank-you to at the Langley Advance Times for taking the time to interview me. He provided a wonderful snapshot of who I am and why I am running as an independent candidate for SD35 School Trustee for the Township of Langley.

As a resident of Walnut Grove for over 20 years, a local parent, and a passionate educator with 25 years of classroom experience, I am ready to bridge the gap between district decisions and kitchen table realities. Our fast-growing district needs an advocate who understands the frontline needs of students, families, and teachers alike. In this article, he highlights my three campaign pillars: classroom resources, student mental health, and inclusive cultural practices.

📣 Please share with your contacts so more residents learn about me - - as their candidate of choice for SD35 School Trustee.
🙏🏻 Thank-you!

07/22/2026

A huge thank-you to at the Langley Advance Times for taking the time to interview me. He provided a wonderful snapshot of who I am and why I am running as an candidate for SD35 for the Township of Langley.

As a resident of Walnut Grove for over 20 years, a local parent, and a passionate educator with 25 years of classroom experience, I am ready to bridge the gap between district decisions and kitchen table realities. Our fast-growing district needs an advocate who understands the frontline needs of students, families, and teachers alike. In this article, Mr. Claxton points to my three campaign pillars: classroom resources, student mental health, and inclusive cultural practices.

📣Please share with your contacts to help inform others about me - , Independent Candidate for SD35 (TOL)
🙏🏻Thank-you

Tina Patterson announced her first run for elected office

07/21/2026

What does a / Teacher do if she is not prepping for back-to-school or out campaigning?

Crafting games for an upcoming cruise — of course!

07/20/2026

Thank you, , for the warm welcome today! Resha Sabti for TOL Council (Independent candidate for TOL Council) and I, Tina Patterson (Independent candidate for SD35 TOL School Trustee), loved door-knocking and connecting with so many of you.

I genuinely appreciate your welcoming attitude, excellent questions, and willingness to engage with us. Hearing directly from our community is exactly why we are running!