It is absolutely irreconcilable that Alberta Education would push forward a curriculum that many of it's customers, Alberta Tax payers, do not want, and it is even more unbelievable that parents like Nhung Trans-Davies and her supporters, organizations like Parents for Choice in Education, as well as many other concerned citizens must go to such measures as rallies and petitions to be heard by their own representatives. This is the citizen's public education, paid for by each Alberta tax payer, and we want to be heard; we want CHOICE. We are not living in a province with genuine representative democracy if the choice of a few education elites takes precedence over the free choice of parents.

Dear friends of Parents for Choice in Education,

We need you and your networks more than ever.

It appears that Education Minister Dirks, and the Alberta Government under the leadership of Alberta Premier Prentice, is ignoring the concerns Alberta Parents have with the overreach of the Inspiring Education curriculum.

Neither the on-line petition started by Nhung Trans-Davies, the column printed in the Calgary Herald written by Executive Director Donna Trimble on behalf of PCE, nor the thorough research paper handed in-person to Minister Dirks, and sent to every Alberta MLA seems to be making any dint in their headlong development of Inspiring Education.
We are all now coming together to further engage the public and our representatives with a paper petition available via this link: Paper Petition Against Inspiring Education

We ask each and every one of you to print this petition and reach out to fellow parents, educate them if they are yet unaware of what is lurking on the horizon for Alberta students, and get as many signatures as you are able. We are hopeful that engaging the public with these paper petitions will allow us to further network and inform citizens across Alberta about the issues that exist with Inspiring Education, and to insist that the Alberta Government put moratorium on any further development or implementation of Inspiring Education.

At a time when the budget is tight, and cuts are being considered across the public sector, it is pure hubris on the part Alberta Education to continue to spend dollars to push a curriculum transformation that has no merit in cognitive science or research, and that many informed parents across the province do not support.

While Parents for Choice in Education believes that the final choice in method, tools, and curriculum should be left in the hands of educators, whether that be Inspiring Education or a more Traditional Direct Teaching methodology, Parents for Choice in Education posits that with the curriculum changes of Inspiring Education which will entail reduced core education outcomes, mandated 'inquiry' methods, increased technology dependence, and vague testing and reporting techniques, it will be near impossible for educators to choose traditional direct teaching tools and methods. Choice will be an illusion if we stand by and allow the implementation of this heavy handed, over-reaching Inspiring Education curriculum.

It is  irreconcilable that Alberta Education would push forward a curriculum that many of it's customers, Alberta Tax payers, do not want, and it is even more unbelievable that parents like Nhung Trans-Davies and her supporters, organizations like Parents for Choice in Education, as well as  many other concerned citizens must go to such measures as rallies and petitions to be heard by their own representatives. This is the citizen's public education, paid for by each  Alberta tax payer, and we want to be heard; we want CHOICE. We are not living in a province with genuine representative democracy if the choice of a few education elites takes precedence over the free choice of parents.

All we ask is that the Alberta Government cease the development and mandatory implementation of Inspiring Education, that Alberta Education 'acknowledge the central importance of content and knowledge in academic curricula', 'promote a grading system built on clear, objective, quantifiable and consistent measures', and stop spending education dollars on an unproven 'pedagogical theory' that requires ever increasing dollars be poured into technology in the classroom.

It is time for the Alberta Government to step back, refrain from engaging in experimentation and micromanagement of curriculum, and keep their role limited to the defining of key education objectives for students K-12 and standardized testing to ensure these objectives are being met. It is time for the ultimate choice of tools, curriculum and methods to be placed back in the hands of those who know the children best, teachers in the classroom, and, most importantly, parents.

You may download the PDF version of the Petition here: Inspiring Education Petition