Skepticism of Alberta's Bill 15: the Choice in Education Act

Full disclosure. I'm a public school advocate. After my parents went into debt to avoid a crumbling public school system in New Hampshire for my Kindergarten to Grade 2 years, I was able to enjoy high-quality public schools in Great Falls, Montana, from 3rd-7th Grade and Alberta, Canada, from Grade 8 to 12 in both rural (Battle River) and the larger Elk Island Public Schools (Sherwood Park).

I now live in Nebraska. My son and daughter attend public school in the city we live and work in. Imagine Edmonton Public Schools for example. Unlike Alberta, a higher percentage of neighbours and coworkers' children do not. Higher counts of competing school districts, no statewide education tax like Alberta, and other disparities, also lead to more opt-out/ins throughout the city in the public system, plus the higher amount of private schools in general.

"What's the big deal?" you may think.

Nebraska has more than 220 private schools and similar numbers to Alberta in total students, around 35,000, attending private schools K-12. However Alberta, only has around 180 schools with nearly double the population (1.9 million in Nebraska vs. 4.3 million in Alberta). Eighty per cent of those private schools in Nebraska are students who are white compared to the overall average statewide of 69 per cent. Private schools teach predominantly white, without special needs (89%), and charge thousands of dollars in tuition.

Despite access issues, private schools, as I mentioned, fracture the community. Instead of everyone in the neighbourhood attending the school down the street together with a common curriculum built by the community for the community, everyone goes separate ways both physically and in values.

Nebraska does not fund private schools with tax dollars, but the fight for it is alive and well. Arguments continue to be made, similar to the UCP's, that taking the full jump to funding private education with public money or through tax incentives will reduce taxes paid by the public despite shortfalls in the budget and revenue, long-term. Having more choice already has begun to erode the fragmented public system.

Its current public teachers' average pay is ranked 25th in the United States, around $7,000 per year below the national average. These disparities impact neighbourhood home values and property taxes (Nebraska is in the top ten for burdensome property taxes in the U.S.). Despite access issues, fractured communities, other disparities of teacher salary and quality inside and outside the public system, and high property taxes, the curriculum is also another area lacking continuity. Education regulations of accredited institutions are broad and somewhat limited - and not very critical. Here are most of the over-arching curriculum regulations:

1. Grades K-5: devote at least one hour per week to reciting stories of American history or American heroes, singing patriotic songs and memorizing the "Star Spangled Banner" and "America," and developing reverence for the flag and instruction proper conduct in its presentation.
2. Grades 5-8: devote at least three periods per week to the teaching of American history from approved textbooks, taught so as to make the course interesting and attractive and to develop a love of country. In at least two grades of every high school, three periods per week must be devoted to civics, including the constitutions of the United States and Nebraska; the benefits and advantages of our form of government; the dangers and fallacies of Nazism; communism, and similar ideologies; and the duties of citizenship. Appropriate patriotic exercises must be held for Lincoln's birthday, Washington's birthday, Flag Day, Memorial Day, and Veteran's Day. Nebraska requires that all of these history courses stress the contributions of all ethnic groups to the growth of America, art, music, education, medicine, literature, science, politics, government, and war service.
3. School teachers must give special emphasis in their instruction to common honesty, morality, courtesy, obedience to law, respect for the national flag, the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of Nebraska, respect for parents and the home, the dignity and necessity of honest labor, and other lessons which promote an upright and desirable citizenry.

Given the difficult subject matter of slavery, racism, internment, indigenous history and residential schooling to name a few, which require critical thinking and introspection, can a choice system, especially one funded by public dollars, help contribute to a better society and dialogue of empathy and inclusion?

It wasn't until 2014, Alberta finally included mandatory residential school lessons thanks to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. The now-defunct Progressive Conservative government announced this in Edmonton that year to "wild applause." In 2016, this continued with a joint commitment to action for additional training for teachers related to First Nations, Métis and Inuit history and culture. This is now flagged as a "release under a previous government" which worries me as well.

I am skeptical the government pushing forward an American approach to education (and healthcare, which is another whole topic) is able to understand the impacts Bill 15 may have. Many have not lived in the States, although several have done postsecondary there and dealt in theories of education. They currently send their children to fully private or in the public school system of Alberta, which is ranked as one of the world's best. Nebraska is working hard to protect its public system of what remains. Alberta is about to leapfrog past Nebraska with the introduction of Bill 15 without much of the infrastructure, private donors and private grant-funding that Nebraska has, by funding it with public dollars.

I for one, am not a teacher, nor am I professional educator. As a parent, I look to professionals to educate and acquire knowledge, not just competence. Uncomfortable discussions and learning of our pasts can help us heal, and help our children build a better, more inclusive, society. Are private schools funded by public dollars in Alberta ready to engage with curriculum that may be uncomfortable? Will they abide and stick with Alberta curriculum? Will students enter postsecondary, trades and adult life able to handle the complexities heading our way?

The "one publicly funded education system," from the Act, which has been in the act since established in 2000 (under the Klein government) and and passed in 2012 but never acclaimed. I built off the original School Act (1980) is a big deal to me. How can you support one public system while funding competing systems with public money? This preamable chorus is now followed by another recognizing private and charter schools in Alberta. It seems contradictory to me:

WHEREAS the Government of Alberta believes in and is committed to one publicly funded education system that provides a choice of educational opportunities to students and that honours the rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Canada in respect of minority language and minority denominational education through the dimensions of public, separate and Francophone schools; 

In conclusion, all the social issues aside, I find it perplexing the government strives for efficiencies and demands its public service acquire economies of scale, while at the same time introducing bills that make that more difficult to do that very thing. By removing students and teachers out of the existing world-class Alberta system and separate schools, it reduces its reach for procurement, technology and other administrative opportunities. If the Red Tape minister was truly making a difference, they may look to enhance the one publicly funded system instead of tearing it apart. It seems even Ralph Klein's government could see that much. Why can't they?