The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held September 19 and 20, 2013, at Barnett House in Edmonton

Association administrative guidelines provide for the attendance of observers at selected portions of Provincial Executive Council (PEC) meetings. ATA members who are interested in observing selected portions of PEC meetings at their own expense are advised to contact their district representative.​​

1. Named Past President Carol Henderson to represent the Association on the board of directors of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation for a one-year term to June 30, 2014.

2. Approved two electoral ballots and their explanatory notes for distribution to the membership.

3. Approved, in some cases with amendments, recommendations on 94 expiring current directives for submission to the 2014 Annual Representative Assembly.

4. Approved a statement of ATA program emphases for 2013/14.

5. Approved the ATA’s 2013/14 capital budget.

6. Approved disbursement of the 2013/14 budget for international assistance to 12 international projects, including Project Overseas.

7. Directed that the 2013/14 budget for periodic international assistance be held in trust.

8. Referred to a subcommittee of PEC the issue of compensation for the position of immediate past president.

9. Appealed to the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee the order of a hearing committee on the grounds of inadequate penalty. The hearing committee found a teacher guilty of five charges of unprofessional conduct for inviting a student to the teacher’s apartment for the purpose of consuming alcohol, thus acting in a manner detrimental to the best interest of students, the public or the profession; for engaging in sexual intercourse with a student, thus acting in a manner detrimental to the best interest of students, the public or the profession; for providing false or misleading information to the investigating officer, thus failing to cooperate with the investigating officer as required by the Teaching Profession Act; for allowing or encouraging a witness or witnesses to lie about a previous sexual encounter and, in so doing, failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession; and for engaging in activities that led to rumours and gossip in the community, thus harming or tending to harm the standing of teachers generally. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand and a fine of $1,000, to be paid within 10 months from the date of receipt of the written decision; declared the teacher ineligible for membership in the Association for a period of three years, effective immediately; and directed that a recommendation be made to the minister of education to suspend the teacher’s teaching certificate for a period of three years.

10. Appealed to the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee the order of a hearing committee on the grounds of inadequate penalty. The hearing committee found a teacher guilty of three charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in conduct for which the teacher was convicted of three indictable offences, namely by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means unlawfully defrauding the Government of Canada of Old Age Security Benefits of a value exceeding $5,000, contrary to section 380(1)(a) of the Criminal Code; Goods and Services Tax rebates of a value not exceeding $5,000, contrary to section 380(1)(b) of the Criminal Code; and Alberta Seniors Benefits of a value exceeding $5,000, contrary to section 380(1)(a) of the Criminal Code. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand, declared the teacher ineligible for membership in the Association for a period of 18 months and directed that a recommendation be made to the minister of education to suspend the teacher’s teaching certificate for a period of 18 months.

11. Authorized the executive secretary to enter into a secondment agreement with Edmonton Public Teachers Local No. 37 and Calgary Separate School Local No. 55, pending final approval of the agreement by PEC.

12. Approved the formation of a new student local, Ambrose University College, Education Students Association, Student Local No. 12, and chartered it effective June 1, 2013.

13. Authorized the attendance of table officers and two executive staff officers at “What’s Standing in the Way of Change in Education?” a conference hosted by the Canadian Education Association, October 21 and 22, in Calgary.

14. Authorized the purchase of a table package of 10 seats for Public Interest Alberta’s Fun(d) Night, October 24, in Edmonton.

15. Authorized the annual purchase of a table package of 10 seats for the Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities’ Creating Safe Spaces Waffle Breakfast, November 20, in Edmonton.

16. Amended administrative guidelines governing the Educational Research Award to clarify that it is open to academic staff and sessional lecturers not only from universities but also from university colleges recognized by the ATA.

17. Approved the names of four teachers for addition to the Association Instructors name bank, which is used as a source of appointments to the Association Instructors corps as the need arises.

18. Named field members to fill vacancies on ATA, Alberta Education and other external committees. ❚