Author: Jeff Milner

The third teacher rally this week will be held this evening at 5:30pm at the Lethbridge Tourist Centre.

All are welcome to come out and show support for Alberta’s teachers and for public education. Here is the ATA’s poster for the event:

I attended the rallies on Sunday and Wednesday and as a teacher and advocate for public education was so happy to see the large turnout and public support.

My friend Chelsea Matisz is a returning contributor to CBC Radio One Calgary’s Unconventional Panel. She spoke on the show this morning about how the strike is affecting her and her family.

When the [government] stopped tracking class sizes in 2019 it made it impossible for accountability and now we have this problem. It shouldn’t be a surprise that we’ve gotten to this point. There should have been schools being built and teachers being hired and so the fact that we are at this point where the teachers are on strike is a failure of the government to be able to see that they needed to collect data and account for what’s happening. To me it’s clear, you know we have a minister that said, ‘classroom sizes don’t affect academic outcomes. There is no evidence for this.’ There is evidence for this.

She went on to discuss the $460 million that the government has invested in private schools. Private schools by definition are only available to a limit portion of the population. If one doesn’t meet the criteria or can’t afford their high tuitions, they can’t go and yet public funds are propping up these ventures. It’s not right.

Teachers from Lethbridge, Palliser, Horizon, Livingstone Range, Holy Spirit and Westward School Divisions were all out in solidarity all over Alberta during the weekend as the teacher strike was about to start on Monday. I attended the rally at Henderson Lake with my family to support my colleagues and students in what will likely be a lasting work stoppage.

The government announced yesterday that they would be initiating a lockout for teachers. A lockout is an employer-initiated action that legally restricts employees from performing their work or receiving pay from the employer.

Because teachers are already on strike and not performing duties, the lockout does not change teachers’ current status but it does make it more clear the hostile position the government is taking toward teachers.

The lockout will take effect at 1:00 p.m. on October 9.

I support teachers and this lockout is only widening the gap in what teachers and students in Alberta deserve.

There will be another rally tomorrow (October 8) at Henderson Lake from 12-1pm. There won’t be any speeches this time, just getting out and being visible to the public.

As a parent and teacher I’m excited to be running for school board trustee in the Lethbridge Public School Division.

I’ve been a teacher since 2010 and during time as elementary and high school teacher I witnessed first hand the deteriorating conditions within the education system in Alberta. I know we can do better.

Here are my priorities as a trustee:

1. Inclusion for our most vulnerable students including minorities and those that identify as LGBTQ+
2. Being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars while also pressing the government to allocate more.
3. Classroom sizes and complexities are harming student learning and this needs to be addressed.

How can learning conditions be improved?

Learning conditions in schools can be improved when classroom sizes and students with complex learning needs are supported. This means changing the criteria for when assistants are hired to be in classrooms and reducing class sizes. Money needs to be allocated to reducing class sizes not increasing the number of employees at central office.

How can trustees and school boards best support teachers?

Trustees and school boards can support teachers by creating policies that help teachers in all the ways they need. It is important that policies that make it easier to have safe and caring classrooms, that trust teacher autonomy, and that show teachers during this difficult stage of education in Alberta that there are boards that understand the complexities and serve to ease that burden.

Views on the new K-6 curriculum

The curriculum was pushed through without proper consultation from teachers in Alberta. The very people that are experts are curriculum weren’t asked to help build it and it reflects that this process didn’t respect the professionalism of educators in Alberta.

I’ve decided to put my name forward to run for the Lethbridge Public School Board as a trustee. I believe the trustees hold a crucial position that provides significant impact on children, families and the entire community.

I want to ensure every student in the Lethbridge School Division receives a high-quality education that prepares them for the future, whether they choose post-secondary education, a trade, or entering the workforce. This means focusing on foundational skills like literacy and numeracy while also embracing modern learning that teaches critical thinking and problem-solving.

As a trustee, I will be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. I will scrutinize budgets to ensure that funding is directed where it matters most—the classroom. I believe in transparent financial reporting so our community knows exactly how their money is being invested in our children’s future.

Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers. I want to foster a culture of partnership between schools and families. I will work to improve communication, ensure parents’ voices are heard and respected, and make it easier for them to be actively involved in their child’s education.

As Lethbridge is on traditional Blackfoot territory, I am committed to honouring the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action by supporting Indigenous education, culture, and language programs within our schools.

I look forward to continuing this dialogue as the campaign season kicks off.