Teachers in Alberta’s public, Catholic and francophone schools — all mandated members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) — are on strike. That means the doors are closed to more than 700,000 public school students, causing massive disruption in families’ day-to-day lives. Meantime, for students and educators at the province’s non-unionized K-12 charter and private schools, it’s business as usual.

Public education purists complain when public dollars are diverted to fund the construction or operation of charter or private schools. So, it’s no surprise that this strike action has amplified their call on the province to dial back the options and invest more in public schools. Already, a referendum petition has been tabled by a Calgary teacher, asking if the Alberta government should

See Full Page