MEDIA RELEASE: ASCA Supports New Action Team as Good First Step in Extending Classroom Safety, But Parent Perspective Absent
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Edmonton, AB – June 30, 2025 – Alberta School Councils’ Association (ASCA) is pleased to support the Minister of Education and Childcare’s creation of the new Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team, however note there is a marked lack of inclusion of the parent perspective on the panel.
“We all want our schools to be safe. It’s what our children and our teachers deserve,” commented ASCA President Ken Glazebrook. “Teachers’ working conditions are our children’s learning conditions, and our children need to have appropriate representation at the table as part of this Action Team by way of the parent voice. We’ll continue to advocate for safe and supportive school environments, and we have a number of advocacy policies created by our membership that highlight the importance of this.”
These advocacy policies include policy statements regarding teachers receiving enhanced training to better meet the diverse and complex learning needs of children in classrooms, that the use of existing inclusive education funding is tracked to determine actual costs of supporting all students effectively in order to identify and eliminate shortfalls, and that the Minister of Education and Childcare develops a collaborative funding model with other Ministries to share the burden of funding integrated services in Alberta’s schools, among others.
ASCA sent a formal letter to Minister Nicolaides on Monday afternoon, highlighting the need for collaboration and echoing Alberta School Board Association President Marilyn Dennis’ gratitude for the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to effective learning environments for students and staff across the province. Noting that many key education partners will be engaging in the work of the Action Team, ASCA notes they are ready, willing, and able to support these conversations over the summer and be an active partner to ensure the parent voice is appropriately represented.
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