In August 2019, in my second month as president, the Memorandum of Understanding that made the ATA and teachers a full partner in curriculum redesign was tore up by the Minister, ending years of collaboration on creating, field testing, and implementing new curriculum. /1

Ever since then, I have discussed with Minister the importance of having teachers involved in creating curriculum as they are experts in the age and grade appropriateness of content and design. These discussions happen through informal meetings and formal communications./2

My request to have teachers involved in the process is well documented as is the unwillingness by government to include active teachers in any part of the process, take for example, the whole Ministerial Order of Student Learning, not one active teacher was involved in that. /3

Last week, the ATA released a statement calling for a moritorium on this new draft along with calling on governent to re-engage teachers, facuities of education, Indigenous an Francophone groups in a process that will better serve our students.
https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/News%20and%20Info/News%20Releases/2021/04%2014%20Important%20Message%20on%20Curriculum%20(003).pdf

The statement ends with "Alberta’s students and teachers require an appropriate, inclusive and workable curriculum. We are committed to supporting the development of such, the ATA is prepared to work constructively in partnership with the Government of Alberta toward that end./5

"We just need to be invited" is the final line. That's the ATA's call to action, there's your ask. We are ready to do the work when government is ready to meaningfully involve a broad cross-section of teachers, faculty members and Francophone, and Indigenous perspectives. /6