LaGrange and ATA accuse each other of politicizing draft curriculum
Posted April 22, 2021 6:50 am.
EDMONTON – Alberta’s education minister and the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) are each accusing the other of politicizing the proposed new school curriculum.
The ATA has called for the K to 6 curriculum to be scrapped because of multiple flaws it said would be detrimental to students.
Education Minister Adriana LaGrange said the ATA has never called her about it and said the organization is just playing politics.
WATCH: Survey: 91% of Alberta teachers are unhappy with K-6 curriculum draft
However, president Jason Schilling said it’s LaGrange who’s grandstanding by complaining about teachers after effectively cutting them out of the review process more than a year ago.
The curriculum has been the focus of fierce debate since it was introduced in late March.
Let us be clear.
The process outlined on the Alberta Education website says ATA and other stakeholders would be consulted prior to public release of the draft curriculum. That did not happen.
ATA and teachers’ concerns have been regularly sidelined. https://t.co/Cum4qFOKLG https://t.co/ysiNWczUMi pic.twitter.com/AMgSFDTjNe
— Alberta Teachers' Association (@albertateachers) April 21, 2021
Advocates say it is the right mix of history and basic skills while critics believe it’s a jumble of facts and concepts that are way over kids’ heads while also failing to properly teach francophone and Indigenous history.