Letter: Speak up for students, teachers

By Letter to the Editor on February 12, 2022.

Dear Editor,

As a teacher, the most important thing to me is the well-being of my students. This is true for all the teachers I know.

In December, the education minister accused teachers of turning a blind eye to those who hurt our students. This vilification was uncalled for. It was misleading and pitted parents and community members against teachers by planting seeds of mistrust, undermining the fact that teachers view parents as partners in our work with their children.

The minister went on to announce that she is working on legislation that will take the teacher discipline function away from the Alberta Teachers’ Association. One of the justifications for this move is the believed misconception that the ATA protects teachers throughout the discipline process. This is false.

Truthfully for close to 100 years, the ATA has held teachers to a high standard through a code of professional conduct that is designed to protect the safety and dignity of themselves and students. Anyone can file a complaint of teacher misconduct. The ATA investigates all such complaints. In some situations, the teacher may have to appear before a conduct committee, similar to a jury of their peers (a public member sits on the committee as well). This process is open to the public and to the press. The teacher being investigated is responsible for their own legal representation.

If their professional conduct is found to be lacking, they can be subject to a range of penalties, from formal letters of reprimand and fines, to cancelation of their ATA membership (meaning they can never again teach in a public school in Alberta). In the most severe cases, the ATA may request that the minister cancel the offender’s teaching certificate (the ATA doesn’t have the power to grant or cancel teaching certificates) So they then cannot teach in a charter or private school.

There are many drawbacks to the government taking over teacher discipline. The biggest is the ATA’s role in the discipline process would completely change. Instead of objectively reviewing complaints, looking out for the public interest, the ATA would then only represent its members in the discipline process. In other words, instead of disciplining unprofessional teachers, the ATA would be defending them.

We have seen similar moves with regard to teacher discipline in other provinces and they have ended up causing division within school buildings. This isn’t good for students or for teachers. Alberta teachers want to focus on their students and provide them with the best possible education.

Please speak out against the minister’s plans and stand up for Alberta’s students and teachers. You can contact me with questions at heather.mccaig@ata.ab.ca.

Heather McCaig

Teacher

ATA District Representative for the Southeast

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