The
demand that the people of Alberta have a say in curriculum
development has gone viral. At last count, more than 38,600 Albertans
have joined the group Albertans Reject Curriculum Draft. The draft
curriculum has been denounced by Indigenous peoples, Francophone
organizations, and tens of thousands of people. People are finding ways
to get petitions signed despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19
(the Alberta government does not accept online petitions), and speaking
out with thoughtful and incisive comments. Many people are saying
they will stand behind teachers who refuse to do harm to their students
by teaching this curriculum.
The Alberta Teachers' Association
(ATA) is calling for the Government of Alberta to stop all work on the
piloting and implementation of the draft curriculum until an
independent, open and full review and rewrite can occur.
The
Association published full-page ads in daily newspapers across Alberta
on April 16 to issue the call for a moratorium and to show support for
school boards and teachers that decide not to participate in piloting.
The ATA said:
"Alberta's students and teachers require an
appropriate and workable
curriculum. The government is being told
loudly and clearly that this
curriculum is unacceptable. We now need the
government to announce a
stop to their implementation plans and to
spell out a new way
forward," said Jason Schilling, ATA president.
ATA president Jason Schilling says the
Association supports school
boards that have decided not to pilot this
draft curriculum, and he
calls on all school authorities to refrain
from directing their
teachers to participate in piloting.
He stated, "Teachers who believe this
curriculum is unsound and
potentially damaging to student learning have
the professional
responsibility and moral right to refuse to
participate in voluntary
piloting. The government and school boards
must respect the decision of
individual teachers to not participate in
piloting."
Although the teaching profession is
frustrated by being left out of
the curriculum development process, Schilling
says teachers are more
than willing to assist the government with a
rewrite that reflects
their extensive expertise and knowledge.
"We are committed to supporting the
development of a high-quality
curriculum, and the ATA is prepared to work
constructively in
partnership with the Government of Alberta
toward that end. It is the
only workable path forward. We just need to be
invited," Schilling emphasized.
The call follows the release of preliminary
survey results showing
that 91 per cent of teachers and school
administrators are unhappy with
the draft curriculum, with three in four
teachers stating that they are
"very unhappy." The survey also showed that 90
per cent of elementary school
teachers feel uncomfortable about teaching the
new
K-6 curriculum, and 95 per cent of principals
feel uncomfortable
about supporting the curriculum in their
school and community.
The ATA is directing parents and the public
who are concerned about
the draft curriculum to pledge support for the
moratorium and review by
visiting curriculum
[thelearningteam.ca].
This article was published in
April 19, 2021 - No. 30
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2021/Articles/WO08302.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
