Handling of the curriculum change is as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard

Everyone complains about “what are they teaching my kids in school?” Common refrain and has been happening for many decades.

However a few of the suggestions in a curriculum overhaul for those in younger grades will make the new math seem logical.

There was some rather to put it politely odd and unexpected recommendations on an Alberta curriculum change initiated in 2018 for social studies and fine arts-type classes for those in kindergarten to Grade 4.

To back up, the government order a few years ago that the curriculum needed to be reviewed. A new “vision” needed to be in place

“Now that the new ministerial order is in place, the 2018 draft K-4 curriculum will be reviewed and future curricula will be drafted for the next grades. All draft curricula will be aligned with the new vision. Due to delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, timelines for piloting the new draft curriculum are being adjusted. Validation will be expanded from K-4 to include Grades 5 and 6. Participating schools will start piloting this curriculum in classrooms in September 2021. At a minimum, a draft curriculum for Grades 7-10 will be ready for classroom validation in September 2022. It is anticipated that all students attending school in Alberta will be learning from the new K-6 curriculum by the 2022-23 school year.” Sounds good right? Welllllll…

Somehow the suggestions for improvements to this initial curriculum were leaked. These suggestions were made by an “independent”, yet still handpicked by the government, 12 member Curriculum Advisory Panel. It was established in August 2019 and there were recommendations and feedback was made by them through public engagement.

Somehow through all of this, some of the recommendations included, according to a CBC story which had got a hold of these leaked documents outlining the improvements:

-- “…eliminate all reference to residential schools and their harms to iIndigenous people removing reference to equity”;

-- “First graders should learn Bible verses about creation as poetry and fourth graders should learn that most non-white Albertans are Christians”;

“Five and six year olds in the first grade should be familiar with the artwork of Claude Monet; Georgia O’Keefe; Pablo Picasso and Edgar Degas”…

Perhaps the five year olds can then finger paint a replica of Le Reve and learn all about its significance? Ummm, no.

Yes, critics will say this is nitpicking a few points, but these are significant. One would think with 12 people described as experts, that they would know some of these would not go over well or just inaccurate.

No matter how you slice it. It is a bad situation.

It is made worse by the fact there have been so many nightmare scenarios and decisions made in so many facets of the provincial government i.e. the complete public relations debacle that is health; the laying off of hundreds in the Agriculture and Forestry; the expensive preoccupation with the petroleum sector: see: The Energy Centre and of course education which includes the relatively invisible Education Minister Adrianna LaGrange, the layoffs in secondary education and defunding of post secondary institutions.

First, how does something like this Panels suggestions get leaked out? These recommendations should be guarded and reviewed thoroughly so things like this don’t escape. With the government social media heat seeking missile they are more than a little aware of criticism and trying to squash it. Having adjectives like “racist “are not easily defused.

All that time and energy spent on this: can you imagine being someone who got a chance to present to this committee and you hear one of the recommendations is that “residential schools” should be eliminated from historical teachings?

This government doesn’t shy away from controversy and doesn’t seem concerned with public opinion but this is another public relations nightmare.

You add all of these PR fiascos and one wonders about a “one and done” government?

Last week Prairie Post featured a a story about implementations to the education curriculum which would have agriculture a more prominent part of learning from K to 12.

Great program and having it in the hands of someone like Cypress County’s Nichole Neubauer, Alberta students (and perhaps beyond Alberta’s borders) should be so blessed.

However, seeing leaked documents like that should leave a lot of parents shaking their heads… and they are.

The outrage expressed at the contents of the leaked documents was swift and harsh.

Education should not be shrouded by what at best can be described mystery or uncertainty and at worst deception. Teachers are going through enough stress as it is teaching in pandemic times… this will not help.