Credentials

Christina Fernandes holds undergraduate degrees in health sciences and nutritional sciences from the University of Western Ontario. She completed her clinical practicum at London Health Sciences Center in 2010 and has worked as a registered dietitian in long-term care and community health settings. Christina is the mother of two boys aged 11 and 8 who attend public schools in the Waterloo Region. Her advocacy work began when she started questioning school policies around food allergies and intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic as she became concerned about mask and vaccine mandates. Christina ran for school board trustee in 2022 to push for greater transparency and parental involvement in education.

Summary

Christina testifies about her experiences advocating for transparency and parental rights in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). She discusses how her initial concerns about food allergy policies expanded to questioning COVID-19 mandates in schools. Christina describes discovering sexually explicit content in school library books and her efforts to raise awareness among parents and school officials. She details the challenges she faced in getting responses from the school board and the backlash she received when running for school board trustee. Christina emphasizes the importance of informed consent from parents regarding educational materials and policies. She argues that public schools are not neutral and are pushing ideologies that parents may not be aware of or agree with. Christina recommends greater accountability for public officials, increased parental involvement, and voting for candidates who will prioritize transparency and parental rights.

The transcript for this witness testimony is currently in production by our volunteers. It will be available soon here on this page and as a downloadable PDF.