Lethbridge School Division will not participate in draft K-6 curriculum in 2021/ 2022

Apr 12, 2021 | 2:10 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — The Lethbridge School Division announced Monday (Apr 12) morning that they will not take part in the pilot project of the new proposed K-6 curriculum. Trustees and administration have reviewed the content of the draft, and agree that it does not align with the values and priorities of the school division.

Christine Light, school board chair, says “this curriculum needs a complete re-work.”

” I think if we felt it only needed a few minor tweaks we would be willing to go forward and validate and pilot. But, the reality is it doesnt line up with our values, it doesnt line up with the needs of our students”

The curriculum advisory pannel took place from August of 2019 to 2020, engaging 12 members to provide recommendations for future curriculum directions. The new draft, which was released March 29, is set to have participating classrooms piloting this program in Spring of 2021. But finding classrooms willing to participate will be difficult, as cities like Calgary, Edmonton, and Medicine Hat are also agreeing that this proposal does not support quality learning.

Light noted the Alberta Teachers Association recently revealed that 91 per cent of teachers are against this new curriculum.

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“Teachers are extremely concerned that this curriculum is not going to deliver material that will create environments or opportunities for students to be innovative, empathetic, inclusive.”

The Alberta government is engaging with the public on their opinion on the curriculum until Spring of 2022.

You can have your say, by going to this link. . https://extranet.gov.ab.ca/opinio6//s?s=public2021EN

Light went on to say that the accusation of plagiarism of the curriculum still needs to be addressed, with some example’s coming as an exact duplication of a 1976 article authored by Howard Palmer, and published in the international journal, as well as direct quote’s coming from a North Vancouver recreation centre website, and other portions coming straight off of wikipedia.

“I think when we have significant portions of a curriculum that are taken directly from other sources that arent credited, it leads us to question the integrity of the entire process.”

Lethbridge school board members are asking the government, that they a complete review of this proposed draft is taken into consideration.

“We do call the government to take this back, listen to the feedback, and start it all over again.”

by Sarah Jones