Teachers, students, and parents are gearing up for a return to school this week as provincial orders require teachers to resume work. Schools across Alberta are set to reopen on Wednesday following the enactment of the Back to School Act, which put an end to a teachers’ strike that commenced in early October. The legislation mandates teachers to return to work by enforcing a collective agreement using the notwithstanding clause to protect it from legal challenges for the duration of a four-year deal.
Over 51,000 teachers, represented by the Alberta Teachers’ Association, went on strike on October 6, resulting in the cancellation of classes for approximately 750,000 students in public, Catholic, and francophone schools. Both the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) have announced plans to resume classes on Wednesday, with the CCSD indicating that student teachers will return the following week.
Various school boards, including those in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Rocky View, Foothills, Grasslands, and Canadian Rockies, also intend to resume classes as scheduled this Wednesday. The province has made November diploma exams for Grade 12 students optional due to the strike, and discussions are ongoing regarding the necessity of exams scheduled for January.
While classes are set to restart, the CBE has informed parents that extracurricular activities may not immediately return to normal. The focus will be on academic instruction, potentially leading to delays, rescheduling, or cancellations of extracurricular events. Additionally, transportation services are expected to resume, although parents are advised to anticipate possible delays and not leave children unattended at bus stops.
Some parents have expressed mixed emotions about the return to school. While some, like Ashley Fowler, are glad their children will resume classes, others, such as Locke Spencer, are disappointed in the government’s decision to mandate teachers back to work. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides has assured parents of ongoing support to ensure student success throughout the academic year.
Overall, the community is preparing for a phased return to normal school operations, with teachers and parents adjusting to the changes brought about by the strike and subsequent legislative actions.
