Our voices matter too much to be silenced

In classrooms across Alberta, teachers are facing an impossible equation: 35+ students crammed into spaces meant for 20; students with complex needs waiting months for assessments while school counsellor and support staff positions are disappearing; new curriculum is arriving without the textbooks to teach it; and basic supplies like paper are running short before October. Add to this the weight of knowing that meaningful change may require the difficult step of withdrawal of services. However, amid these challenges, something remarkable is happening. Alberta’s teachers are finding their collective voice—and the public is listening.

We’re not just fighting for our profession; we’re fighting for the future of education in Alberta.

The polling numbers tell a story that should give us hope. Albertans understand what we’re facing in our classrooms. They see the overcrowding, the students using outdated computers that crash midlesson, the lack of assistive technology for students who require it for learning and the reality of teachers rationing photocopying because there’s a limited budget for paper. They understand why we can’t properly implement new curriculum when resources were never provided. Parents see students in crisis waiting weeks to receive the specialized support they need. When we speak up about these realities, we’re not complaining, we’re fulfilling our professional obligation to advocate for the conditions our students deserve.

This advocacy has clearly struck a nerve. When those in power respond to teachers’ legitimate concerns with misinformation campaigns and attempts to discredit our professional judgment, it reveals just how effective our voices have become. The louder the pushback, the clearer the signal that our message is being heard and causing the discomfort that often precedes real change. I have been repeatedly sharing that the teacher voice is the trusted voice, and we are seeing proof of this right now.

Every time you share your story, share what you experience in the classroom every day, you’re exercising the same professional responsibility that drives us to make things work the best we can, to buy supplies with our own money when school budgets fall short. We speak up because we care deeply about education, not because we care too little.

The attempts to silence or discredit teachers through social media targeting and misleading narratives are proof of our impact. If our professional voices didn’t matter, they wouldn’t generate such defensive responses. The fact that our advocacy is being met with such resistance tells us that we’re asking the right questions and demanding the changes our students need. While it is tough to listen to the rebuttals that can sometimes be mean and spiteful, we must recognize the difference our voices are making. Well done, colleagues.

As we navigate the challenging weeks ahead, we can draw strength from knowing that our professional voice—exercised through advocacy, through social media, through collective action if necessary—is rooted in the same dedication that brings us to school each day. We’re not just fighting for our profession; we’re fighting for the future of education in Alberta.

The path forward may be difficult, but Alberta’s teachers have shown they will not be silenced when it comes to advocating for their students. That unwavering commitment to speak truth about classroom conditions, regardless of the backlash, is perhaps the most hopeful sign of all. It shows that no matter what challenges we face, Alberta’s teachers will continue to put students first—even when it means standing up to power.

Our voices matter. The public knows it. And increasingly, those in positions of authority know it too. That’s not something to step back from—it’s something to build on.