>“This legislation improves accountability, protects students and keeps learning and safety the focus of our education systems,” said Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides after Bill 25 was tabled Tuesday afternoon. “School boards would be expected to stay focused on their core responsibilities and avoid taking positions on political or ideological issues that fall out of their scope.”
The minister recalled a recording that was leaked in 2023 where a teacher at an Edmonton junior high school allegedly berated a Muslim student for not attending school while they were celebrating pride activities.
“I know in January, there was another example of a teacher criticizing individuals from Fort McMurray and people who support the oil and gas sector,” said Nicolaides. “This is the type of personal opinion and bias that I don’t think serves any place in the classroom.”
td192020 on
Shouldn’t learning about politics and how the government actually works be a fundamental part of the education system?
Or is the Alberta government wanting more kids to not understand how the political process works? Oh wait a minute… the less they understand the more likely they are to support the current provincial government…
bernstien on
So this bill:
A) mandates that only the Canadian and Albertan flag can be displayed in schools, enforces oversight that all national and provincial symbols are “treated with respect”, mandates that the national anthem needs to be sung once a week, and bans “ideological” symbols (the pride flag, et al).
B) Removes the obligation or oversight for religious schools to teach or recognize provincially approved curriculum on gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality.
…three huzzahs for political neutrality. Nothing better than letting politicians decide what is and isn’t “ideological bias”.
TheSilentPrince on
“Diverse viewpoints”? How are open ended essay questions going to look in a decade?
> Were the Nazis bad?
Well, they did kill a lot of people, but they also freed up a lot of housing, and living space. At least until the US burned it down. Also, they might have had a point about certain groups. You know the ones.
> Was the Trans-Atlantic slave trade bad?
Well, the rape and murder wasn’t ideal, but it sure made some people a lot of money; and that’s always priority number one. Not to mention that they got to live in the Americas, not stinky Africa, and that’s its own reward.
differentiatedpans on
It’s funny that political actions are what is making that happen.
NuclearFartMonkey on
People can’t oppose the government if they don’t know what it is to begin with….smh
Vanthan on
Making this announcement on the Trans day of visibility is so on brand for these déplorables.
BingusTheStupid on
Alright, so the idea sounds fine, but I’m worried about the execution. Knowing Smith, I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns into a culture war thing. I’m also not a fan of the whole flags and anthems all the time, that just sounds too much like what they have going on in the states with the pledge of allegiance, which I have never agreed with.
esveda on
Teach kids reading math and actual science based on evidence and the scientific method and leave the politics and activism out, sounds great.
-LittleStranger- on
What is that headline, is it the presses job to just do PR for free for governments now ? Yes that’s what the government -says- this bill is about. Maybe not everyone sees it that way.
Most people won’t read past the headline, which they perfectly well know.
Avelion2 on
Except for right wing ideology.
Beneficial-Ride-4475 on
So in other words, everything but *our* (Albertan Conservative) ideology and politics are to be removed?
Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.
Due-Offer-3101 on
this should cause absolutely no problems 😀
NihilsitcTruth on
This sounds like it should go Canada wide.
AngryJelloo on
I hate the “consider both sides” thing. I’m not interested in what both sides have to say, I want the truth. If I sided with someone wrong then we are both wrong.
Li-renn-pwel on
I spent a decade in Tennessee and let me tell you the hill gets slippery fast. They have laws that basically say you can’t teach history and social science in a way that makes white/cis/het/etc feel bad. In the home state of the KKK and the trail of tears, you can’t teach that lynching, slavery, genocide, read lining, etc has caused longterm issues.
16 Comments
>“This legislation improves accountability, protects students and keeps learning and safety the focus of our education systems,” said Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides after Bill 25 was tabled Tuesday afternoon. “School boards would be expected to stay focused on their core responsibilities and avoid taking positions on political or ideological issues that fall out of their scope.”
The minister recalled a recording that was leaked in 2023 where a teacher at an Edmonton junior high school allegedly berated a Muslim student for not attending school while they were celebrating pride activities.
“I know in January, there was another example of a teacher criticizing individuals from Fort McMurray and people who support the oil and gas sector,” said Nicolaides. “This is the type of personal opinion and bias that I don’t think serves any place in the classroom.”
Shouldn’t learning about politics and how the government actually works be a fundamental part of the education system?
Or is the Alberta government wanting more kids to not understand how the political process works? Oh wait a minute… the less they understand the more likely they are to support the current provincial government…
So this bill:
A) mandates that only the Canadian and Albertan flag can be displayed in schools, enforces oversight that all national and provincial symbols are “treated with respect”, mandates that the national anthem needs to be sung once a week, and bans “ideological” symbols (the pride flag, et al).
B) Removes the obligation or oversight for religious schools to teach or recognize provincially approved curriculum on gender identity, sexual orientation, or human sexuality.
…three huzzahs for political neutrality. Nothing better than letting politicians decide what is and isn’t “ideological bias”.
“Diverse viewpoints”? How are open ended essay questions going to look in a decade?
> Were the Nazis bad?
Well, they did kill a lot of people, but they also freed up a lot of housing, and living space. At least until the US burned it down. Also, they might have had a point about certain groups. You know the ones.
> Was the Trans-Atlantic slave trade bad?
Well, the rape and murder wasn’t ideal, but it sure made some people a lot of money; and that’s always priority number one. Not to mention that they got to live in the Americas, not stinky Africa, and that’s its own reward.
It’s funny that political actions are what is making that happen.
People can’t oppose the government if they don’t know what it is to begin with….smh
Making this announcement on the Trans day of visibility is so on brand for these déplorables.
Alright, so the idea sounds fine, but I’m worried about the execution. Knowing Smith, I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns into a culture war thing. I’m also not a fan of the whole flags and anthems all the time, that just sounds too much like what they have going on in the states with the pledge of allegiance, which I have never agreed with.
Teach kids reading math and actual science based on evidence and the scientific method and leave the politics and activism out, sounds great.
What is that headline, is it the presses job to just do PR for free for governments now ? Yes that’s what the government -says- this bill is about. Maybe not everyone sees it that way.
Most people won’t read past the headline, which they perfectly well know.
Except for right wing ideology.
So in other words, everything but *our* (Albertan Conservative) ideology and politics are to be removed?
Doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.
this should cause absolutely no problems 😀
This sounds like it should go Canada wide.
I hate the “consider both sides” thing. I’m not interested in what both sides have to say, I want the truth. If I sided with someone wrong then we are both wrong.
I spent a decade in Tennessee and let me tell you the hill gets slippery fast. They have laws that basically say you can’t teach history and social science in a way that makes white/cis/het/etc feel bad. In the home state of the KKK and the trail of tears, you can’t teach that lynching, slavery, genocide, read lining, etc has caused longterm issues.