Lloyd Edwards Interview: Teacher, Union Leader, & Advocate for Equality
Lloyd Edwards came to BC from Trinidad in 1953 and got his first teaching job in 1957 on Texada Island. He taught in several BC communities before settling in Surrey. As President of the Surrey Teachers’ Association in 1974, he led a one-day teachers’ strike that resulted in reduced class sizes across the province.
This interview was conducted by Ken Novakowski and Bailey Garden on May 17, 2018 in Burnaby, BC. It is part of our Oral History Collection.
Lloyd Edwards came to BC from Trinidad in 1953 and got his first teaching job in 1957 on Texada Island. He taught in several BC communities before settling in Surrey. As President of the Surrey Teachers’ Association in 1974, he led a one-day teachers’ strike that resulted in reduced class sizes across the province. Edwards was also responsible for establishing the first staff committee in a BC school. At Prince Margaret High School in Surrey, he established a school Committee Against Racism. He also worked to create the BCTF’s anti-racism program. In 2022 the Surrey Teachers’ Association named its office building after Edwards.