The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held May 2–3, 2019, at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Approved, for submission to the 2019 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA), resolutions resolving that

(1) school authorities should collaborate with the Association to develop and implement policies requiring parents to disclose to teachers and other staff when a student has been provided a surveillance device and governing the use of such devices in schools;

(2) the Government of Alberta should ensure that changes in legislation respecting education do not diminish the protection provided to teachers and other school authority employees against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression;

(3) the Government of Alberta should ensure that changes in legislation respecting education do not diminish the right or ability of students to establish and name gay–straight/queer–straight alliances in their schools;

(4) the Government of Alberta should ensure that changes in legislation respecting education do not diminish the right and ability of individual students to determine if and how their membership or participation in the activities of a gay–straight/queer–straight alliance in their schools is disclosed to other persons;

(5) the Government of Alberta should increase education grant rates on an ongoing basis to compensate for the effects of past and future general inflation and specific cost increases affecting the operations and infrastructure needs of public, separate and francophone school authorities;

(6) the Government of Alberta should increase education funding to public, separate and francophone school authorities to fully fund increases in enrolment;

(7) the Government of Alberta should engage the Association, school boards, superintendents, parents and the public in the development of a rural education strategy to ensure that students in rural areas continue to have access to high-quality education opportunities provided by public, separate and francophone school authorities;

(8) the Government of Alberta should engage the Association, school boards, superintendents, parents and the public in the development of an inclusive education strategy to ensure that students with exceptionalities and their teachers are provided with appropriate supports;

(9) the Government of Alberta should engage the Association, school boards, superintendents, parents and the public in the development of a class size reduction strategy to ensure that class sizes support optimal teaching and learning;

(10) the Government of Alberta should expand school nutrition programs to ensure that all students who are economically disadvantaged are well fed and ready to learn; and

(11) any new policy implemented by the Government of Alberta concerning teacher evaluation should respect teacher professionalism and comport with the philosophy and direction of the Teaching Quality Standard (2019), Alberta’s Teacher Growth Supervision and Evaluation Policy 2.1.5 and section 4(b)(vii) of the Teaching Profession Act.

2. Directed the president to use his best efforts to have a meeting with the minister of education and the president-elect before the end of June.

3. Approved for submission to the 2019 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA), a budget resolution to increase the Member Services staff complement by one FTE executive staff officer, effective in the 2019/20 school year.

4. In accordance with 31(2) of the Teaching Profession Act, approved an extension to the 120-day hearing time period for one outstanding case of alleged unprofessional conduct.

5. Approved amendments to the Administrative Guidelines to establish rules with respect to personal cellular mobility/data charges on Association-paid data plans; protocols with respect to displaying flags in Provincial Executive Council chambers and at other locations as determined by Council; and procedures for Association corps members, consultants and Provincial Executive Council members to claim child care costs during the performance of their duties to support the work of the Association.

6. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for vacating the teacher’s classroom, thus failing to treat pupils with dignity and respect, and failing to leave lesson plans for the substitute teacher, thus failing to act in a manner which maintains the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of one letter of severe reprimand to encompass both charges, a fine of $200 related to charge one and a fine of $450 related to charge two.

7. Approved Council committee and representation assignments for 2019/20.

8. Approved provision of notice of motion for the September Council meeting that Provincial Executive Council form an ad hoc committee to address the PEC election process. ❚