Re: OPINION: It's time for Alberta to modernize its teacher investigation process
The author claims that education reform is needed, and that is why the minister of Education is proposing new regulations governing disciplinary actions against teachers.
Maybe the minister, Adriana LaGrange, should read the Education Act, Section 33, to realize that school boards already have in place the authority to remove teachers who pose a threat to the welfare of students.
Moreover, a parent who is concerned about the welfare of his/her child can contact the principal of the school with any concerns. If not satisfied, the parent can contact the superintendent of that school division. If not satisfied, the parent can contact the chair person of the school board. If not satisfied, the parent can contact the minister of Education, and if not satisfied, the parent can contact the police if he/she believes a crime is being committed by a teacher.
This proposed legislation is a smokescreen for the UCP because it tries to divert attention away from the many negatives actions of our premier and his government (violating COVID-19 protocols by Jason Kenny and his cabinet ministers; sneaking secret agreements with the mining companies behind the public’s back; undermining the support of doctors and nurses throughout the pandemic; trying to sneak-in financial support for private health care; spending money on the “war room” at a time when the government says it’s short of money ($30 million budget, plus a salary for this new bureaucrat at $190,000 per year).
By the way, the government already has three ministers working with this new bureaucracy. Talk about redundancy and a waste of taxpayers’ money! Selling crown land for private use. Spending tons of money trying to sell a new curriculum for grades K-6 which teachers and school boards opposed.
Concerning the public sector, Mr. Kenny doesn’t discuss matters with teachers, doctors, school boards, municipal governments, etcetera; he dictates while claiming he has had discussions with them (he actually talks with himself and his buddies in cabinet).
He has created disharmony in the province by trying to implement new ideas which would undermine our democracy. No referendums on private health care, no referendums on private school funding or funding of private sector businesses, nor on a provincial police force to replace the RCMP, nor on a new provincial pension plan to replace CPP and OAS, nor on new gun laws to replace federal regulations, nor legislation cancelling transfer payments to Ottawa, nor asking the public for input on spending the new windfall of cash from the rise in oil prices. Say! Whatever happened to the Heritage Trust Fund?
So, instead of seeking public input through public consultations and through direct democracy (referendums), Mr. Kenny attacks public sector workers to divert attention away from himself and from his government’s actions or inactions. Maybe that’s why his popularity is so low even with some members of his own party.
George Thatcher,
Trochu
