By Jayvis (Ivy) Eisener, Junior Reporter
In May of 2023, our university made signs, buttons, and a slogan in response to the Brandon School Board’s proposal to review and potentially ban books relating to gender, sexuality, and the expression of 2SLGBTQIA+ identity. That slogan? “DON’T.” Now, in 2025, Ward One is having a school board by-election. Where do the candidates stand on not only this issue, but issues of importance in regard to educating youth in Brandon?
I reviewed each candidate’s profile, their interviews with the Brandon Sun, and available social media. Additionally, Brandon Pride reached out to each member, asking their positions on how they would ensure 2SLGBTQIA+ students have a safe and welcoming learning environment. I also received email responses to questions from three candidates. Here is what I found.
Who Can Vote?
To be able to vote in the school board by-election, you must be a Canadian citizen of 18 years of age (born on or before Oct 16, 2007), a resident of the school division (not just Ward One), and you cannot be disqualified from voting (you would know if you’re disqualified).
You need to bring one piece of government-issued photo ID OR two other documents showing proof of identity and residence.
How Can I Vote?
The by-election will take place tomorrow, Thursday, October 16th, 2025.
Voting is open from 8am to 8pm at the following locations:
• Monterey Estates Recreation Hall, 40 Mockingbird Drive
• McDiarmid Drive Alliance Church, 635 McDiarmid Drive
• East End Community Centre, 405 Park Street
• Victoria Inn, Salon 2, 3550 Victoria Avenue
• Brandon School Division Admin Office, 1031 – 6th Street
• Brandon Shoppers Mall, Unit #22, 1570 – 18th Street
Who are the Candidates?
Laura ARMITAGE: Armitage is a parent of four children who are enrolled in a Brandon school. She is a longtime member of École New Era’s parent council and positions her experience as unique. Her primary concerns are the unsustainable reliance on volunteers in their lunch programming, and the ratio of students to teachers being too large. Laura supports the creation of safety advisory committees. She is also working to bring “Canadian Parents for French” back to Brandon, which is a nonprofit that supports learning and using the French language. Some may recall that French is in fact a national language of Canada, something protected in part because of the work of Metis individuals in Manitoba. Armitage responded to Brandon Pride saying that she considers herself a “strong ally of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community” and would, as trustee, “approach any new policies or revisions of existing ones with an inclusive lens”.
Michael GRANTHAM: Grantham is “not a fan of banning books” and thinks that there needs to be age-appropriate material in schools. He supports the diverse material that is safely available in places like the library, which he describes as more reliable and accurate than the information available online. His intention is to “be a voice for the masses, which includes the lgbtq+ community, teachers, support staff, parent council, and ultimately, the public at large”. Michael is also deeply concerned for the safety and security of students, and has expressed he is interested in seeing a multitude of items explored. In his email to me he expressed concerns around many other items, including the staff/student ratio, bullying/racism/intolerance in schools, as well as issues with lunch programming.
Bonnie-Lynn MILLS: Mills has a history in early childhood education, as well as in volunteer work, and this will be her fourth attempt at being elected for the Board. In 2022, she articulated an interest in avoiding centralizing education on a National level, recognizing that the Brandon School Division has different needs than other divisions. Reading her other interviews, Mills is clearly deeply aware of issues in the
School Division. In 2023, she commented not only on teacher/student ratios but also on the attempt to ban books in May. While she could not attend the meeting in person, a part of her statement on the issue was: “Everybody needs to be their own person. I definitely also don’t believe that anything should be pushed on anybody if they don’t feel the same.” Bonnie also responded to Brandon Pride’s email around 2SLGBTQIA+ issues, and while she did not explicitly mention book bans, she spelled out how libraries and classrooms reflecting diverse voices and experiences is tied to the values of non-discrimination, safety, inclusion, and a respectful environment.
Shawna MOZDZEN: As an Educational Assistant since 2007, Mozdzen has first-hand experience about her key issue: ensuring families and students feel supported, especially concerning learning challenges and mental health struggles. Safety and funding are other central issues. Uniquely, she is a Métis and First Nations woman who would bring a unique voice for reconciliation to the Brandon School Board. She is quoted in the Brandon Sun saying, “I’m a firm believer that we need to learn about Indigenous culture and the beauty of it, alongside the difficult history, to move toward reconciliation”. The access to information that Shawna provides seems unique in both its breadth and depth. Not only did she do an interview with the Brandon Sun, she replied to my email, and also frequently answers questions on her Facebook page, “Shawna Mozdzen for BSD Trustee”. This is a necessary consideration in the context of transparency and accountability, where activity on social media and a willingness to answer questions is paramount. One unique question she answered was from an 11-year-old child (with help from mom) on her perspective on school overcrowding. In this respect Shawna seems unique in the amount and quality of her responses and the public’s access to them. On the topic of banning books, Shawna is very clear that not only is she not in favour - she states clearly that books are deeply valuable for students, that they facilitate conversations with parents, and that librarians are capable of acting in their profession in determining what is age-appropriate.
Eren OLESON: Oleson wants to hire more teachers and EA’s. He is also a part-time Brandon University student! In his interview with the Brandon Sun, he says that there is waste in the School Division’s budget, which could be reallocated. Oleson also stated that he was uninterested in revisiting the book banning issue, and added that the school board is not a place for politics. A unique proposal from Oleson is to see students in leadership roles. Replying to Brandon Pride, he stated that he would advocate for equity regarding all marginalized groups, as well as that we should ensure inclusion policies are met and areas that fall short must be addressed.
Himanshu SHAH: Safety and support for students, teachers, and families is the headline for Shah. He states in his Brandon Sun interview that he supports the creation of safety advisory committees, but wants more done such as speed controls around school zones and year-round reduced speed limits. Reducing class sizes and workloads for teachers, as well as increasing the number and hours of EA’s are topics mentioned. He was one of two individuals who did not respond to Brandon Pride. His position on the banning of books is unclear.
Henry SIEKLICKI: Sieklicki has previously run for Ward 2, losing 299-128 to Lorraine McConnell. He is interested in bringing metal detectors to every school in Brandon, as well as staff to monitor these devices. Business owners in the community have commented on social media that this would be a multi-million-dollar affair, which would actually do little to alleviate the underlying reasons why students or community members might enact violence at schools. He sees “no alternative” in ways that would alleviate concerns around safety. Henry also hopes to increase English and Math outcomes for students. Henry was one of two individuals that did not respond to Brandon Pride - however, historically, he was quite clear in his support for the banning of books within the school division. Sieklicki is definitely the candidate with the most signs around Brandon, touting slogans like “Education, not indoctrination” and similar anti-2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric.