Author of the article: Kellen Taniguchi
Publishing date: Sep 11, 2021 •
Demonstrators protested the draft Alberta curriculum at the Alberta legislature in Edmonton, on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.
PHOTO BY IAN KUCERAK /Postmedia
Signs were held high in front of the legislature Saturday as parents, teachers and Edmontonians gathered to protest the UCP government’s proposed rewrite of the K-12 school curriculum.
“It’s time for (Premier) Jason Kenney and (Education Minister) Adriana LaGrange to listen to the thousands, and thousands and thousands of people that are criticizing this curriculum and to hand it back to the actual experts — the teachers and curriculum experts in the province,” said Carla Peck, a professor of social studies education at the University of Alberta.
Peck, who was one of the speakers at the rally hosted by advocacy group Albertans for a Quality Curriculum, said she wants to make sure that the draft curriculum doesn’t make its way into schools because it would be damaging for children.
Many school boards have opted out of piloting the rewrite this fall, including Edmonton Public Schools. Criticism has been widespread, with much of it focused on the social studies component.
Peck also got the crowd involved when she started a “ditch the draft” chant that echoed throughout the legislature grounds.
Taking part in the chants was teacher Kate Mason, who’s also a mother of two children yet to enter the school system
Signs were held high in front of the legislature Saturday as parents, teachers and Edmontonians gathered to protest the UCP government’s proposed rewrite of the K-12 school curriculum.
“It’s time for (Premier) Jason Kenney and (Education Minister) Adriana LaGrange to listen to the thousands, and thousands and thousands of people that are criticizing this curriculum and to hand it back to the actual experts — the teachers and curriculum experts in the province,” said Carla Peck, a professor of social studies education at the University of Alberta.
Peck, who was one of the speakers at the rally hosted by advocacy group Albertans for a Quality Curriculum, said she wants to make sure that the draft curriculum doesn’t make its way into schools because it would be damaging for children.
Many school boards have opted out of piloting the rewrite this fall, including Edmonton Public Schools. Criticism has been widespread, with much of it focused on the social studies component.
Peck also got the crowd involved when she started a “ditch the draft” chant that echoed throughout the legislature grounds.
Taking part in the chants was teacher Kate Mason, who’s also a mother of two children yet to enter the school system
.
Demonstrators protested the draft Alberta curriculum at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton, on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.
Photo by Ian Kucerak PHOTO BY IAN KUCERAK /Postmedia
“Our voices aren’t being heard and the people that are going to be greatly affected by it are the people that are distributing it to our kids and our kids that are eventually learning this curriculum,” said Mason. “I think if we don’t stand up for it, the people that are going to be hurt are going to be the people that can’t speak about it yet.”
Christine Paterson, teacher and grandmother to Mason’s children, said she’s concerned about the well-being of students and their love of learning.
“It’s so important for children to love to learn and that magic of just learning new things and we feel like this new curriculum has taken everything out of that,” said Paterson.
NDP education critic Sarah Hoffman also spoke to the crowd.
“These parents, the teachers, the students, the university professors who are here and general people at large want the government to know that they’re not forgetting, they’re going to keep fighting back and that kids deserve better,” Hoffman told Postmedia.
Hoffman said some of the curriculum’s content is harmful and backwards. She called on Kenney to put a halt to the rewrite and go back and invite people to be a part of an inclusive process. If he won’t, NDP Leader Rachel Notley will, she said.
“Our voices aren’t being heard and the people that are going to be greatly affected by it are the people that are distributing it to our kids and our kids that are eventually learning this curriculum,” said Mason. “I think if we don’t stand up for it, the people that are going to be hurt are going to be the people that can’t speak about it yet.”
Christine Paterson, teacher and grandmother to Mason’s children, said she’s concerned about the well-being of students and their love of learning.
“It’s so important for children to love to learn and that magic of just learning new things and we feel like this new curriculum has taken everything out of that,” said Paterson.
NDP education critic Sarah Hoffman also spoke to the crowd.
“These parents, the teachers, the students, the university professors who are here and general people at large want the government to know that they’re not forgetting, they’re going to keep fighting back and that kids deserve better,” Hoffman told Postmedia.
Hoffman said some of the curriculum’s content is harmful and backwards. She called on Kenney to put a halt to the rewrite and go back and invite people to be a part of an inclusive process. If he won’t, NDP Leader Rachel Notley will, she said.
Demonstrators protested the draft Alberta curriculum at the Alberta legislature in Edmonton, on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Ian Kucerak/Postmedia
PHOTO BY IAN KUCERAK /Postmedia
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