I feel like I pay attention to the news more than most. I listen to a diverse set of podcasts and follow a wide variety of media outlets. I back Science and evidence-based decision making. Yet it seems I can’t keep up. I read reports from reputable sources about cases declining, about wastewater tracking, and about a mid January peak. I read about other jurisdictions nationally and around the world transitioning to endemic mode.

As an #Alberta teacher there is a lot I could be angry about. I could be upset the UCP has cut per student spending despite their pledge to maintain funding. I could be upset that they laid off most of our EAs during a pandemic leaving students w/ fewer supports. I could be upset about class sizes. I could even selfishly be upset about an increased workload and my 2% raise over 8 years while the UCP signals a 5-7% public sector wage cut. But what honestly keeps me up at night is the UCP’s hypocritical re-write of our program of studies.

This is so upsetting. “Parent Choice” seems so innocent as does “back to basics” Math. It’s easy to get behind those sentiments right? Who could possible be opposed? They are lazy & disingenuous arguments and we can’t let the UCP get away with them.

https://twitter.com/jkenney/status/1315441048034906113

It’s much harder to have a real conversation about what “choice” really means. Who is privileged enough to make those choices? What do those “choices” do to public education? How much do those “choices” cost the taxpayer?