The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held April 2, 2020, at Barnett House in Edmonton

1. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, postponed the 2020 Annual Representative Assembly, currently scheduled for May 16 to 18, until further notice.
2. In accordance with section 31(2) of the Teaching Profession Act, extended the deadline for the commencement of five hearings of the Professional Conduct Committee.
3. In accordance with section 50(1) of the Teaching Profession Act, extended the deadline for the commencement of an appeal hearing of the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee.
4. Amended the 2020/21 proposed budget by reducing the Special Emergency Fund allocation from $710,000 to $333,000 and by adjusting other projections to better reflect actual costs, thereby reducing the proposed annual fee increase from $96 to $81. Council noted that additional changes may still be necessary before the 2020/21 budget is presented to the 2020 Annual Representative Assembly.
5. Approved, for presentation at the 2020 Annual Representative Assembly, a resolution that school boards be urged to annually share a report of their Joint Worksite Health and Safety committees’ work, including a report of aggregate data of incidents for the school year, to be shared with the appropriate Alberta Teachers’ Association local president by Nov. 1.
6. Authorized that work be undertaken, in collaboration with the College of Alberta School Superintendents, to develop a template for division policy or administrative procedures to comply with section 390 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code dealing with violence prevention plans and procedures.
7. With respect to occupational health and safety legislation, authorized an FAQ page to be posted in the “Members Only” section of the Alberta Teachers’ Association website; a Q&A article to be published in the ATA News; and that local constitutions be reviewed to include a clause on how Association representatives are named to the Joint Worksite Health and Safety committees.
8. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of three charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in behaviour for which the teacher was convicted of indictable offenses related to child pornography. The investigated teacher entered a plea of guilty to all three charges, and the hearing committee imposed a penalty of a declaration that the teacher is permanently ineligible for membership in the Alberta Teachers’ Association and a recommendation to the minister of education to permanently cancel the teacher’s teaching certificate.
9. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of five charges of unprofessional conduct for calling a student an inappropriate name in the presence of other students; for having students vote as to whether a derogatory term the teacher used to describe a student was accurate; for sending a student an inappropriate text message using profane language; for sending a student a text message asking the student to advance the teacher’s position to a teaching colleague rather than communicating with the colleague directly; and for leaving students unattended in the classroom.
   The investigated teacher pled guilty to each charge. The hearing committee imposed a penalty of a letter of severe reprimand for each of the five charges and a fine of $500 for each of the first four charges. The committee ordered a single letter of severe reprimand to encompass all five charges.
10. Received the report of a hearing committee that found a teacher guilty of 10 charges of unprofessional conduct related to sexual gestures made in the presence of students; improper and offensive comments to female staff; for taking two male students to the teacher’s residence without the permission of the school principal; for making a disparaging comment to a student about the student’s prior incarceration; for making a sexually inappropriate comment in the presence of school staff; and for yelling at a colleague in the presence of students.
    The committee found that the teacher, through these various actions, failed to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession, failed to treat students with dignity and respect and be considerate of their circumstances and undermined the confidence of pupils in the teacher’s colleague.
    The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a single letter of severe reprimand to encompass all 10 charges, a fine of $3,000, a declaration that the teacher is ineligible for membership in the Alberta Teachers’ Association and a recommendation to the minister of education to cancel the teacher’s teaching certificate.
11. Approved the creation of a rainbow pedestrian crossing in front of Barnett House to demonstrate the Association’s commitment to inclusivity.
12. Amended the Administrative Guidelines to more clearly define the principle and purpose of teachers’ conventions and to establish a solid direction on the types of sessions and exhibits that should be included in convention programming.
13. Amended the Administrative Guidelines related to expense claim processes and established new guidelines and procedures for capital projects exceeding $1,000,000 in total estimated costs.
14. Awarded the Alberta Teachers’ Association Doctoral Fellowships in Education, the John Mazurek Memorial–Morgex Insurance Scholarship and the Nadene M. Thomas Graduate Research Bursary.
15. Approved the name of one teacher for addition to the Indigenous Education Professional Development Facilitator Corps name bank.