On May 21, 2020, PCE Executive Director Donna Trimble released the statement below, announcing her resignation effective August 31, 2020 and thus launching PCE's search for a new Executive Director.   

PCE invites those interested in applying for this position to view the PCE Executive Director job posting for more information regarding required responsibilities, qualifications and application details.

Statement from Donna Trimble, PCE's Executive Director - May 21, 2020

I am writing to you today to share some important news. 

After a great deal of contemplation, I have made the very difficult decision to step down as Executive Director of Parents for Choice in Education (PCE), as of August 31, 2020.

This decision was not an easy one.

The truth is that I’ve never fully recovered my energy since my cancer battle some four years past and PCE requires a strong, passionate leader at the forefront of this important work with the energy to fulfill the rigorous responsibilities demanded by this growing organization.  

I have remained dedicated to this position for over five years - even while battling cancer - because of my core belief in the indispensable necessity of parental choice in education to a free society.  It is the very success and growth of the organization that has outpaced my capacity to do this job with the vigour I know it deserves going forward.

Let me be clear: while I am leaving this position, I have no intention of leaving this work.  It is far too important.  I will stay on the PCE Board of Directors for as long as I am able, providing insights, support and advice to help guide the direction and continued growth of the organization.

Let me also reassure you that the impetus for my resignation is not related to me being aware of any serious health concerns.

As Executive Director for PCE since January 2015, I have seen PCE grow from a small, relatively unknown advocacy organization to a provincial powerhouse that has a strong position on the education landscape advocating for excellence in education through maximum parental choice. 

Make no mistake: this growth would not have been possible without you.

I have been continually inspired by the thousands of Alberta citizens who have believed in this work and had the courage and dedication through these years to advocate alongside PCE for an excellent, quality-oriented, choice-driven education system which recognizes parental authority. We at PCE are fortunate to have your ongoing confidence and support!

I’d like to remind us all why we do this difficult and absolutely essential work.

The mission and principles of PCE are extremely important areas of advocacy in our present culture; a culture in which there are persistent efforts to undermine parental choice in education in Alberta, and with it, to undermine a parent’s right to remain the primary caregiver and educator of their own children. 

The United Nations recognised what an incredible weapon education could be, in the hands of totalitarian regimes, during WWII.  In an attempt to prevent the use of a captive audience of innocent students by those set on creating an education system modeled after their own priorities, the United Nations introduced an article to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which PCE often quotes: 

Article 26 (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Unfortunately, while many give these words lip service, their commitment remains skin deep. For too many of those who have great influence on education, including the government and its bureaucratic arms, unions and vocal activists, their vested self-interest undermines genuine education choice.  

The average person often feels ill-equipped to face these threats on their own, but united through an organization like PCE, our impact is greatly strengthened.  For this reason, PCE will always be an essential bulwark for the protection of students, through our advocacy for parental choice in education.

We must grow larger, and stronger, and increase our effectiveness going forward, remaining a permanent protective force against those who would seek to take family out of education.

With my stepping down, PCE is now launching a search for our organization’s new Executive Director to lead our team starting September 1, 2020.

We invite you to help spread the word through your networks by sharing our Executive Director job posting so we can work together to find the best candidate to help move PCE forward to even greater and more influential heights. 

Thank you again for all your support over the years. Let us always remember the importance of parents in their children’s lives.  As Jane D. Hull wisely stated, “At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.”

Sincerely,

Donna Trimble