I was at an NDP press conference where education critic Sarah Hoffman raised questions about a UCP constituency association’s resolution that will go before members at a Calgary convention later this month. It calls on government to create a school voucher system #ableg #abed
Hoffman called the possibility of adopting a school voucher system a "dangerous" move that could divert more money to private and home schooling and away from public, Catholic and Francophone education. #ableg #abed
Before Premier Jason Kenney calls the NDP's concerns "fear and smear," she says, she wants Kenney to commit to ruling out a school voucher system. #ableg #abed Note: right now most private schools get 70 per cent of the funding per student as public schools do. ⬆️in Canada.
This policy resolution from the Lacombe-Ponoka UCP constituency is quite fiery. It says the current curriculum in AB provides inadequate education in English, math, science and history. Note: AB private schools must now teach the same curriculum as public schools. #abed #AbLeg
"The public school system is not currently able to provide this knowledge and students are entering adulthood unemployable and increasingly radicalized by extremist ideologies," the Lacombe-Ponoka resolution says. #ableg #abed
This proposal is one of 81-pages worth of resolutions that could be debated at the UCP convention Nov. 29-Dec. 1 in Calgary. Party exec director Brad Tennant said there is no guarantee every resolution will be debated/voted on. Full document: #ableg #abed https://ucpagm.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Policy-and-Governance-Booklet-Ver7-FINAL.pdf
"During the election our government committed to maintaining the longstanding education funding formula for independent school options..." Tennant said. #ableg #abed
"... We won't speculate on a debate that has not yet happened, but note that resolutions are generally aimed at future platform development." Tennant continued. #ableg #abed
However. In its platform, the UCP pledged to introduce a "Choice in Education" Act. Here's how they described it:
(Nothing about vouchers here) #ableg #abed
Right now the education ministry is doing public consultations on that future Choice in Education Act. There's a survey! Open until Dec. 6! Look, an opportunity for democratic engagement! #ableg #abed https://www.alberta.ca/choice-in-education-engagement.aspx
Anyhow, Hoffman is skeptical of the "it's just a resolution" point. At its founding convention, UCP members voted in favour of a motion to “reinstate parental opt-in consent for any subjects of a religious or sexual nature” including membership in after-school club. #ableg
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