Community event rallies support for Alberta teachers, public education

A grassroots event brought together more than 100 parents and community members in support of teachers and public education. Held at a community hall in Edmonton on September 14, the event created a space for collective action and served as a counterbalance to government messaging on public education.

The event’s co-organizer, parent Jessica Baudin-Griffin, said she decided to act after watching a recent government press conference that left her frustrated.

“I felt there was inaccurate information about teachers and about the public education system,” she said. “One of the things I could do was provide other sources of information for people.”

Baudin-Griffin shared videos on social media to counter misinformation but then decided to take the conversation offline and hold an in-person event for community members.

“I was hearing from folks that they maybe didn’t know how far-reaching some of the issues facing public education are,” she said, “And while I believe that social media can be a great space to build awareness, I wanted to translate that into real-world action.”

At the event, attendees were encouraged to sign pre-written postcards or write their own message addressed to Premier Danielle Smith or to their MLA. The postcards highlighted concerns about class sizes, funding levels and the government’s approach to contract negotiations with teachers. One-hundred-and-nine postcards were collected during the event, with another 100 distributed to parents and community members to send directly. 

Baudin-Griffin said that the event was also about ensuring that decision-makers can hear from a wide range of voices from Alberta parents and community members.

“Parents need to provide a counter voice,” she said. “It’s about the importance of democracy, of that balance of opinion.”

The strong turnout, she added, was not only heartening but also demonstrated a willingness from those in the community to engage in grassroots action in support of teachers and public education.

Baudin-Griffin also recognizes that parents are concerned about their children’s education with teachers set to take labour action in October. She encourages parents and community members to seek accurate information and focus on what is in their control, including using their voice.

“We can’t control everything, but you can work within your own circle of control,” she said. “That action can then push out into a circle of influence.”