Challenges ahead: executive secretary reflects on ATA’s priorities

One of the ATA’s top priorities as it prepares for a new operational year is to strengthen its strategic and operational capabilities to counter ongoing threats to the teaching profession and public education. 

This was one of the key themes of executive secretary Dennis Theobald’s yearly report delivered to delegates of the Annual Representative Assembly held in Edmonton over the May long weekend.

“Although attempts to undermine public education date back to the mid-1990s, it was in 2022 that we witnessed the culmination of a long-standing campaign against public education, teachers, the profession as a whole and our association,” Theobald said.

“Make no doubt about it, we have not seen the end of this campaign — it is relentless and international in scope. And it must be resisted at every turn.”

Reflecting on the past year, Theobald said that one of the key developments was the provincial government’s exclusion of teachers from crucial discussions on curriculum development and professional regulation. Furthermore, the government expanded support for charter and private schools while neglecting public education funding, leading to its further erosion due to inflation and enrollment growth.

The most significant development the Association faced in 2022 was the enactment of Bill 15, which stripped the ATA’s regulatory functions, which were established in the 1930s. Despite this, the Association fulfilled its obligations, concluding ongoing hearings, investigating cases and assisting in the transition of cases to the newly created office of the Alberta Teaching Profession Commissioner, Theobald said.

The Association also assumed a role of representing members affected by the government’s new teacher discipline process. 

“Colleagues, we are a very different organization today than we were a year ago, and frankly, we are still finding our way forward,” Theobald said.

He added that the ATA is in the process of defining a new identity and role in the face of continuing political, economic, social and environmental changes, some of which have been brought into sharp relief over the course of this spring’s election campaign. 

“What will happen after that? I have no idea,” Theobald said. “But I am confident that, with your support and guidance and with the resources that you will commit to our use, your association will be prepared to respond and defend the interests of teachers, of students and of public education.” ❚