Jillian Schempp, who is running to be a public school trustee, wants to ensure vaccinations for COVID-19 remain a personal choice for parents and students.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
lthomson@medicinehatnews.com
Jillian Schempp hopes her voice for freedom of choice, both for schooling and for vaccinations, will make her a valuable asset to the Medicine Hat Public School Board.
Schempp graduated from Hat High and then Medicine Hat College with a diploma in Computer Business Information Technology. She moved to Calgary for her first job doing technical support and got married.
After moving back to Medicine Hat, Schempp owned a spa for five years, which she sold after her second child was born. She later got into banking where she is currently employed.
“I also started my own business a few years ago,” said Schempp. “It’s a coaching business where I work with divorced women that are getting into the dating world again after divorce.”
If elected, Schempp plans to take a closer look at where money is being spent in the district and if it couldn’t be spent bettering classrooms. She also plans to discuss home-schooling options for kids who can’t be in a classroom setting.
Schempp is adamantly against a vaccine mandate for children or teachers in schools, and should one come into question, she would vote against it.
“I am 100% firm and public with the statement that if I had to make a choice to mandate vaccines for students and teachers, I would absolutely say no to vaccine mandates and to leave that between teachers, parents, students and their doctor,” said Schempp. “Anybody who knows me, knows where I stand. I’ve drawn a line in the sand and I stand firmly that people need to have a choice when it comes to their own body.”
Schempp says the fact both of her children attend public schools helped her decide to run.
“I just feel a great and urgent need to step up in the atmosphere we’re living in and just do everything I can as a mother and a local resident to protect kids in our schools and make sure school is a safe place for them to be, not only to get a good education, but to be able to find normalcy in the world, to socialize with their peers, thrive and have fun.”
