Local education decision making has disappeared

By Letter to the Editor on December 4, 2018.

On Nov. 20 Education Minister David Eggan said. “We know that having local decisions on the ground actually makes life better for kids and makes life better for Alberta families today.” He was slamming moves by other provinces to eliminate, amalgamate school boards.

Apparently the irony of Minister Eggan’s statement escapes him. He sees no need to eliminate school boards; instead his party simply passes legislation that takes local decision-making out of the hands of locally elected trustees. Effective local anti-bullying policies insufficient to reflect NDP values … pass province wide legislation. Local Alberta families/parents choose alternative faith-based programming É withdraw funding. Eighteen thousand parents petition to change curricular programming methodology É continue to make offending methodology centre of new legislated curriculum.

No Minister Eggan, local educational decision making in Alberta disappeared long ago. It has taken your government’s heavy-handed approach to demonstrate to other provinces that there is a less obvious way to achieve the same outcome.

Richard Dietrich

Medicine Hat

6
-5