We must speak out against harmful lies

Recently, we have witnessed two accounts of political party candidates making false, unsubstantiated allegations about things happening in Alberta schools. The Alberta Teachers’ Association, teachers, parents, and community members were quick to call out these lies. They were rooted in ignorance, hatred, and aimed to undermine public education while stigmatizing 2SLGBTQAI+ individuals.

We all make mistakes, misspeak, or comment without full knowledge of the facts. However, during the election, we saw intentional lies—lies meant to harm and discredit. Throughout my tenure as president, I've witnessed lies perpetuated on various topics related to public education, teacher discipline, and pandemic health protocols. Many of these lies were designed to intimidate and silence.

Fabrications surrounding public education have always existed, some even achieving urban legend status due to their absurdity. However, there has been a noticeable increase in the quantity and absurdity of lies during the election cycle. The post-election period is filled with a lot of "they said, we said" rhetoric.

So, what can we do about it? The answer is simple: we must call out and discredit lies whenever we encounter them. It's a challenging and uncomfortable task, but as Winston Churchill said, "a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

It may be tempting to ignore what we hear or see, but when lies emerge to harm the most vulnerable, we must speak up, engage in factual discussions, and hold people accountable for their words. Empty and worthless apologies should not go unquestioned. The lies we have witnessed are intentional, and our intention should be to shut them down.