The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held Feb. 22–23, 2021, via virtual platform.

1. Approved 211 resolutions arising from the six-year review of policy for presentation to the 2021 Annual Representative Assembly (ARA).
2. Approved 15 Council resolutions and 38 local resolutions for presentation to the 2021 ARA, and approved the assignment of speakers to each resolution.
3. Authorized that $44,000 of the $110,000 previously allocated to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) to support Project Overseas 2020 be used to support professional learning and development programs delivered by CTF partner organizations throughout Africa and the Caribbean in 2021. Further authorized that the balance of $66,000 of the $110,000 previously allocated to the CTF to support Project Overseas 2020 be held by the CTF and used as part of the Association’s contribution for Project Overseas 2022.
4. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of one charge of unprofessional conduct for sending an email to numerous school and school division employees that disparaged the work of an individual and was critical of the individual. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of a letter of reprimand and a fine of $300.
5. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of four charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in messaging through social media with a student in which the teacher discussed alcohol, drugs and suicide and shared inappropriate photos and videos. The committee ordered a penalty of a letter of severe reprimand, a fine of $5,000, a declaration that the teacher is permanently ineligible for membership in the Alberta Teachers’ Association and a recommendation to the minister of education to cancel the teacher’s teaching certificate.
6. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of one charge of unprofessional conduct for discussing concerns about a colleague with the assistant superintendent without informing the teacher’s colleague first. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of an oral reprimand.
7. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of four charges of unprofessional conduct for making derogatory comments to students and for informing students about the teacher’s suspension from employment after being advised to keep the matter confidential. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of letters of severe reprimand for each charge and fines of $200 each for charges one, three and four.
8. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for posting social media messaging that contained disparaging comments about the teacher’s former employing board and its employees and for violating terms of a negotiated Release and Settlement Agreement. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand to address both charges, fines totalling $6,000 and an order to remove all posts that are disparaging or impugning towards the teacher’s former employer and its employees.
9. Received the report of an appeal committee that quashed the finding and the order of the hearing committee and sent the matter back to the Professional Conduct Committee to be heard by a new committee.
10. Approved the frame of reference for the Living Waters Teacher Welfare Committee.
11. Approved the 2021 School Board Elections Plan.
12. Approved the names of two teachers for nomination to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation as potential participants in the National Campaign to Promote the Teaching Profession in a French First-Language setting. ❚