The following is a speech delivered at the Stand for Education rally on Oct. 22, 2022.

Hello everyone, thank y’all so much for coming together today and joining us.

I am very honoured to be able to speak today as the president of the Alberta School Councils’ Association, and I am very proud that our Association is available to support school councils in public, separate, francophone and charter schools. Parent voice and choice in education is important to student success and the work of school councils is integral to the success of our education system.

As we start today, I look out on this crowd and I am filled with hope and determination. We gather because we know the value of equitable access to education. Who are we gathering for? If we distill down our aspirations  and our rhetoric, we are gathering because of our students. My students, your students, these students… our … students!!

Alberta has a collective responsibility to ensure that education is well funded- we must consistently prioritize the education portfolio’s funding! Every dollar spent is an investment that we can’t begin to quantify the return on, but we can feel the deficit of in our classrooms, right now! 

Every dollar we invest in our classrooms means that our children are well accommodated, with appropriate class sizes and the support staff that meet the needs of the composition of those classrooms. Having truly inclusive classrooms means recognizing the additional needs of students and ensuring they have timely assessments of their needs, with meaningful supports and interventions.

If we want to maintain “one of the best education systems in the world,” then why are we not investing in it?

What does it look like to invest in education? It means putting students first! What do students need in order to thrive? They need the funds put into their schools so that their school buildings are well maintained and their parents aren’t fundraising extensively to fill in the gaps that are needed, but not funded. They also need their educators to be well compensated and well supported. Our children do not learn in isolation, they learn under the guidance of dedicated professionals, like the many teachers gathered here today!

An investment in our students means respecting the educators that teach our babies, encourage our babies, and support our babies. Elected representatives would do well for students when they listen to the profession of teachers and actively incorporate the wisdom gleaned from more than 100 years of serving students here in Alberta.

Moving forward, as election platforms are finalized, I cannot impress upon candidates enough the importance of giving our students a worthy curriculum devoid of colonial reinforcements, whitewashed lessons, bigotry, and faulty scaffolding. Our children deserve a curriculum that helps them know where humanity has been and empowers them so that they understand they are where humanity is going.

We are not asking; we will be voting accordingly!

Students: we see you! We see your beautiful spirits, your diverse needs, and your spectrum of experience.

Parents: we see you! We see your hearts and how much you give of yourselves to your children, and your school communities. You are the experts in your children!

Teachers: we see you! We see your dedication. We see you leaning in, exhausted, and still working so hard to connect with our babies. You are the experts in our education system!

Administrators: we see you! We see how you are working hard to make every dollar count and to support your educators, students, and families. Your leadership is valued!

Educational assistants and support staff: we see you! We see how you encourage our children and validate them. Your devotion is needed!

Trustees and superintendents and secretary treasurers: we see you! Your good governance, management, and attention to detail are what our children deserve.

For every official role associated with our schools, and for every unofficial supporter that helps our school communities, thank you! You are valued and needed!

Albertans: You are here today because you understand the importance of equitable access to quality education. Please know that we see you, we appreciate you, and we so look forward to building community with you today. Thank you for your time and let’s continue the remarkable program we have ahead of us!