Alberta Teachers’ Association President Jason Schilling has issued the following statement regarding the 2026 referendum questions that address access to public education based on immigration status.
“The Alberta Teachers’ Association opposes any ballot questions in the Alberta referendum that refer to restricting access to provincially funded public education based on a child’s immigration status. Children do not choose their immigration status, and they should not be denied an education because of it. Every child in Alberta deserves access to publicly funded education. Period.
Schools are places of safety, stability and opportunity. They must never become places where children or families face the fear of exclusion. Canada signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both of which recognize education as a right for every child.
School staff should not be placed in the position of acting as immigration authorities. It would corrode the trust that strong student–teacher relationships depend on. Schools play an essential role in building and maintaining healthy communities. They are spaces where children form lifelong friendships, develop important social connections and gain the skills needed to participate fully in society. When children are excluded from school, everyone loses. Children become isolated, families become disconnected and communities become weaker.
Other Canadian provinces have already acted to ensure that no child is denied public education based on immigration status. Alberta should be doing the same. Every child who walks through a school door in this province deserves to be there. This should not be a political question. It is a commitment every Albertan should be proud to uphold.”
The Alberta Teachers’ Association, as the professional organization of teachers, promotes and advances public education, supports teachers’ professional practice and serves as the advocate for its 51,000 members.