Page Content
Gordon Thomas
Question: I have been asked to complete an anonymous survey that will be used to evaluate my principal’s performance during the past year. Does the Alberta Teachers’ Association support anonymous surveys?
Answer: The Association abhors the use of anonymous comments because anonymity permits inaccurate comments to be made with impunity. Schools and school staff should be subject to open, honest, fair and effective evaluation by objective criteria and standards.
Anonymous questionnaires have been used extensively to assess various educational aspects and are notoriously unreliable and unethical when commenting on the professional performance or reputation of a colleague.
The Code of Professional Conduct requires members to address concerns about a colleague with that colleague before seeking other avenues of complaint. Reports must be submitted only in good faith and only to proper officials. No person can relieve teachers of their professional responsibilities under the Code.
A teacher who completes anonymous questionnaires about the competence, reputation or performance of another teacher, or who directs other teachers to complete such questionnaires, may be charged with unprofessional conduct and called to appear before the Professional Conduct Committee.
If you have further questions about anonymous surveys, please contact Member Services in Edmonton or Calgary. In Edmonton and area, call 780-447-9400; in Calgary, call 403-265-2672; from elsewhere in Alberta, call toll free at 1-800-232-7208.
Questions for consideration in this column are welcome. Please address them to Gordon Thomas at Barnett House (gordon.thomas@ata.ab.ca).
