Whatsoever Things Are True

In 2013 I wrote this letter to the University of Alberta's Board of Governors to urge them to stand up for the original vision of the University of Alberta.

Yesterday the UCP government announced transformative changes to our post secondary institutions. Notably, it states that the goal of post secondary is to create a "modern and diverse workforce for the future." Our post secondary institutions are many things. Of course part of their mandate is educating adults with knowledge and skills for the world of work. But they should not be limited to simple job training factories. And our government should understand that humans were not designed to serve the economy. The economy should serve us.

Inscribed above the door to Pembina Hall

…whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

These inspiring words from Paul’s letter to the Philippians were chosen as the University of Alberta’s motto by Dr. William Hardy Alexander, one of university’s first four professors. Carved in stone above the entrance to Pembina Hall, the words remind us of the vision held by the founders of the U of A, a vision that has remained constant until today. Throughout two world wars, the challenges of the Great Depression, the fears of the Cold War, and the boom and bust of the current oil based economy; this vision has stood the test of time for thousands of students and their professors. It has reaped rewards, both tangible and intangible, for individuals and communities around the world.

Today, thanks to the Progressive Conservative government, we see this vision of our university come under threat. The letter of expectation resulting from by the 2013 provincial budget tells us that no longer should our beloved university encourage students to think about what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely and virtuous. The new vision is to create a “skilled and productive workforce” and focus on the “full potential of learning for our economy.” Instead of being an institution of higher learning serving the best interests of students and society, it is to be a commercialized entity that serves the needs of industry.

That is a travesty. As a U of A alumnus, daughter of a U of A graduate, and mother of three U of A students, I urge the Board of Governors to continue to honour the heritage of generations of Albertans who have been inspired by this vision and have helped build our great province and to respect those generations yet to come who deserve an education that goes beyond job training.

I ask you to remember that the University of Alberta is there for “the uplifting of the whole people,” as Henry Marshall Tory said in 1908, not just about providing opportunities for financial gain for a handful of people. Please continue to do your part to ensure that the wisdom of the university’s founders is not discarded in favour of the ideology of a political party that does not seem to understand the purpose of true education.

Thank you for your recent open letter regarding the recent cuts to post-secondary funding in Alberta. I fear the cuts are just the beginning of a dangerous new trend regarding education in our province as it moves to centralize services under the banner of “Campus Alberta.” I hope the Board of Governors will remain steadfast in following the wisdom of our forefathers by retaining autonomy over our great institution.

Note: No response received.

Choice in Education

There are many roads to an education

In the fall the Government of Alberta launched a survey regarding choices in education. The survey closed on December 6 and is still under review. According to their website: 

Feedback will be used to inform the development of the Choice in Education Act which will affirm that parents are the primary decision-makers in their child’s education and support the range of choice within the current education system.

I am not sure why Alberta needs additional legislation to affirm legislation that already exists. Our Education Act for decades has stated “parents have the right and the responsibility to make informed decisions respecting the education of their children.” 

Alberta already has choice in education, something I witnessed for decades as a teacher and a parent. I worked with a number of schools over the past 20 years as a teacher, course developer and department head at Alberta Distance Learning Centre- Alberta's largest publicly funded distance education programme.

In that capacity, I have taught students from schools in the far north, public and separate schools of every description all over Alberta. Private schools ranging from elite secular boarding schools charging high tuition, to schools in addiction treatment centres to unaccredited religious schools, to kids who had been homeschooled for their entire education, and everything in between. I could give you many examples but I won't bore you.

Here are the kinds of schools we currently have in Alberta:

Public, Separate and Francophone Schools

93% of Alberta's nearly 700,000 students attend public, Francophone, and separate schools -all fully funded by the Province of Alberta in 379 different school authorities. Jurisdictions may provide a variety of programming. Hockey schools, First Nations schools, Mandarin language schools, Christian schools, dance academies, all-girls schools, schools in youth detention centres, schools focussing on academic enrichment, the fine arts,and schools offering traditional programming may all be found under the publicly funded umbrella. Weirdly enough, Alberta's public schools were told a few months ago that they could not use the word "public" in their formal names.

• Curriculum: Must follow the curriculum created by Alberta Education
• Teachers: Must have a minimum of four years of post-secondary education and an appropriate university degree as well as a teaching certificate issued by Alberta Education. Must belong to the Alberta Teachers' Association and follow the ATA Code of Conduct.
• Financial support:Funded fully by the government, with additional fees levied by school divisions. May also receive extra funding by parent organizations. According the the accounting firm KPMG, Alberta spends $11,121 per student, less than most comparative provinces.  
• Inclusion: Must accept all students, regardless of ethnicity, religion, ability, income, or special needs

Francophone schools are a little bit different in that there are specific eligibility requirements as identified by Section 23 of the the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. At least one of the following criteria must be met although there are also exceptional circumstances.These include that student's parent’s first language learned and still understood is French; the parent’s primary or secondary education was in a French; sibling has received or is receiving primary or secondary instruction in French; student was previously enrolled in French Immersion and French Immersion is not offered at their local school.

Charter Schools

Charter schools are autonomous non-profit public schools that offer basic education in a different or enhanced way and operate with a different focus other than that provided by the local school. This can include different pedagogy, approach, teaching or learning style and philosophy and operate under their own board. There are 13 Charter Schools in Alberta,most in Edmonton and Calgary. 

• Curriculum:Required to follow the curriculum created by Alberta Education, but focus reflects that of their charter
• Teachers: Same rules as public schools
• Financial support: Same funding as public, separate and Francophone schools. They cannot charge tuition. However school fees can be high. (Handbook under revision) 
• Inclusion: Depending on the charter, schools will limit admission to students who meet their requirements. Elementary students must have completed a recent psychological assessment indicating intelligence, while grade 7-12 must have results indicating they are gifted.

Private Schools

According to Alberta Education, there are currently 38,000 students attending 180 private schools in Alberta. These schools fall into several categories. Recently the Minister of Education has taken to calling these schools "independent" schools rather than "private schools".

Accredited Private Schools (funded)

• Curriculum:Must follow the Alberta programme of studies
• Teachers: Must hire certificated teachers and principal who is a certificated teacher.
• Financial support:Per capita funding is set at 70% of the rate provided to public schools.  Schools may receive endowments and  charge tuition and other fees.This can be as high as $28,780 per year.
• Inclusion: May refuse to accept students for any reason

Accredited Private Schools (unfunded)

• Curriculum: Not required to follow the curriculum but "must maintain a list of subjects to be offered and an outline of the major skills and knowledge areas to be learned by the students. These must be consistent with the requirements for student learning established by the Minister of Education." (See Private Schools Regulations)
• Teachers:Must hire certificated teachers
• Financial support:No government funding. Schools charge tuition.
• Inclusion: May refuse to accept students for any reason

Registered private schools

• Curriculum: Not required to follow the curriculum but if their programming differs from the prescribed curriculum, they must submit "a list of subjects proposed to be offered" and they must also demonstrate that their students "have sufficient opportunity to achieve, to an acceptable level, the outcomes set out in orders made by the Minister under section 18(2) of the Act and, if applicable, the standards set out in the Alberta Programs of Study," (See Private Schools Regulations)
• Teachers:Not required to hire certificated teachers
• Financial support: No government funding. Schools charge tuition.
• Inclusion: May refuse to accept students for any reason

Special Designations

Designated special education private schools: funded private schools that have been given special approval and funding to serve students who have mild, moderate and severe disabilities.

Heritage language schools: a type of accredited funded or non-funded private schools offering language and culture courses outside of regular school hours to students who receive their basic education at another school authority. The principal must hold a teaching certificate and finances must be audited.

There are very few of these schools in Alberta. I asked Alberta Education for a list several weeks ago but did not receive an answer.

Homeschooling

About 11,000 students are homeschooled in Alberta.

• Curriculum:Not required to follow the curriculum
• Resources:Not required to use authorized resources
• Teachers:Not required to use the services of trained teachers but must register with a school authority
• Financial support: School divisions receive $1670 per student, half of which must be offered back to parents to pay for school supplies.

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This flexibility is the envy of most of the world- other jurisdictions do not have the range of programming that is currently available to Alberta's  students. 

You may not know this, but kids in other parts of the world do not have these choices. Formal education is compulsory in many European and Asian nations. In many countries, it is highly regulated with both private schools and homeschooling requiring annual government inspections. Charges are laid against parents who do not send their kids to school. In many countries, parents cannot take their kids out of school even for a couple of weeks to go on vacation. 

Thai kids on their way home from school

In other parts of the world, education is not a priority of government and parents must pay significant fees to help their kids succeed and prosper. For reasons of poverty and ideology, they have failed to grasp what the rest of the world knows- investing in education is investing in the future. Investment in education leads to higher intergenerational mobility, higher income levels, and lower rates of teen pregnancy. It also leads to a healthier population, a higher standard of living and lower rates of crime. But don't take my word for it- read the research that shows the economic case that supports this idea. This 2019 study shows that for each additional high school graduate, the Ontario government on average saves nearly $3000 a year on social assistance, health care and criminal justice.

India, where education is highly valued. And highly privatized.

As a parent, my own kids were able to access several different programmes within the public education system. From French Immersion in our small public school division, to the same programming in the separate system, to enrichment and career explorations provided by ADLC. Even though they lived in a small northern town, the education they pursued allowed them to succeed in post secondary and thrive in the world beyond. 

Alberta's education has had impressive results- not just for my own kids, but for the province as a whole. Alberta's students do well on international achievement tests and our education system is one of the top two in Canada for education and skills according to the Conference Board of Canada.

Students in Alberta have choice in education. 

They have phenomenal choice guaranteed by law. 

They don't need more.

What’s in a name?

I grew up in Dawson Creek, B.C. which is named after British geologist and explorer George Mercer Dawson.

My brother always called it “Dodge” in reference to Dodge City. Dodge City- home of one of our favourite TV shows Gunsmoke- was a western town full of white men (and Miss Kitty).I don't remember seeing many Indigenous people in Dodge City but there were lots in Dawson Creek, including my brother and sister. On Gunsmoke Matt Dillon would tell the outlaws to “get the hell out of Dodge”. We used the phrase “I gotta get outta Dodge” to describe times when we felt bushed and needed some city lights. We also would say “That guy needs to get outta Dodge” to describe someone we thought should leave immediately- or someone we thought had a limited worldview that needed expanding. Did Dodge City or Dawson Creek have indigenous names?  Nothing on record from what I could see.

Me and my old Honda Accord. Preparing to get out of Dodge.

From Dawson Creek I moved to Edmonton, aka Edmonchuck or The Chuck, so-called due to the large numbers of Ukrainian immigrants. In university days we sometimes called it “Deadmonton” for its lack of nightlife. In fact Bub Slug (a local comic strip) described it as the city “where the nightlife don’t stop till the sun goes down.” Funny, considering that in the dead of winter the sun goes down before 4:30 pm. Growing up in Dawson Creek, it was just called "the city". Because it was the only city anywhere near us and it wasn’t uncommon to take an 8 hour Greyhound ride to go see the Ice Capades or get your eyes tested. More recently, Edmonton has become known as “Redmonton” for its left-wing politics. Do those of Ukrainian descent think "the Chuck" is insulting or is it a source of pride? Do New Democrats like the name "Redmonton" or do they embrace it?

"Where the nightlife don't stop till the sun goes down"

Now I live in Slave Lake, named after Lesser Slave Lake which is named after the Dene Slavey people. "Slavey" was not what the indigenous people called themselves, it was the name given to them by the incoming Cree who often called their enemies their slaves even when they weren't. The first Europeans called it "Sawridge" but the name was changed to Slave Lake in 1923. Some people hate the name due to its associations with slavery. There might even been some who don't like the indigenous reference. People here sometimes just call it “Slave” further adding to the ignominy.

Slave Lake in the 1970s.

All of this got me thinking about the official names and the nicknames we Canadians give our communities and the names given to them by others. Sometimes these are insulting or racist. Some are settler names, supplanting the names given by the original residents. Sometimes they are based on history, economics, politics or something alliterative or rhyming or just plain silly. Or just short. Because people are lazy.

Here are a few:

Chicktoria- Victoria B.C, apparently the best place in Canada to be a woman. Also apparently where wealthy men are the most promiscuous. Not sure how those two things are connected.

Hongcouver/Raincouver/Lotusland- Vancouver B.C., home to a large number of immigrants from Hong Kong- and where it rains a lot. Lotusland was coined by journalist Alan Fotheringham after a place in Homer’s Odyssey where everyone is confused due to drug use. Some say that is true of Vancouverites and British Columbians in general.

Stabbotsford- Abbotsford, B.C., the name coined by local rappers to refer to its high rate of violent crime.

Cowtown/Cowgary/C-town-Calgary, Alberta-located in ranch country, home of the famous Stampede (and the cattle in the rodeo)

The Hat-Medicine Hat, Alberta

Fort McMoney/Fort McMordor- Fort McMurray, Alberta- known for the money produced by the oil sands and the accompanying environmental impact

Fox Vegas- Fox Creek, Alberta, known for the money generated by oil and gas

Leftbridge-Lethbridge Alberta, so called for its left leaning politics

Rock Shitty- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta

Dead Rear- Red Deer, Alberta, both a spoonerism and a description

Toontown/ Toonsville/S’tooner-Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Speedy Creek-Swift Current Saskatchewan

The Jaw- Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Winterpeg-Winnipeg, Manitoba- named for its cold winters

The Soo: Sault St Marie, Ontario- named for its French pronunciation

The Hammer-Hamilton, Ontario

Hogtown, The Big Smoke, T.O., T-Dot, The 6ix-Toronto, Ontario- once known for its meat packing plant and the amount of smoke from coal heat, more recently the rapper Drake coined "The 6ix" based on its telephone area code

K Dubs- Kitchener-Waterloo

Haligonia-Halifax, Nova Scotia

Sin Jawns- St. John’s, Newfoundland. To differentiate it for Saint John New Brunswick.

What’s in a name? Quite a bit, it seems.