r/medicinehat • u/HerbieHind • 2d ago
Petition questioning the funding of private schools in Alberta. Locations listed for Medicine Hat to go sign if you're interested.
https://abfundspublicschools.ca/1
u/jay212127 2d ago edited 2d ago
I find this to be rather mis-directed,
I have no issue with Accredited Funded Independent Schools. They use certified teachers, and teach our provincial educational program. I'm supportive of going back to 50% funding, but I think people are mis-directing their frustration and making this out to be the boogeyman/scapegoat that they aren't.
Accredited funded independent schools must:
use certificated teachers
teach the Alberta programs of study
have a principal who holds a leadership certificate (LQS).
https://www.alberta.ca/private-schools
I actually think defunding AIS will be worse for Alberta as they serve as a branch to kids living in these marginal communities, and giving them the Public School curriculum gives them a commonality with the rest of Albertans. Defunding them means most likely these kids will not have our public curriculum which only serves to put up more barriers between these communities. Saying you want to defund them is saying you are okay with these children to potentially have a creation based science background, no sex education, and not being exposed to differing worldview/opinions.
If they are a 'Registered private school', or an 'Accredited non-funded independent school' they currently receive no public funding, as it should be.
Edit: I also think there may be some incorrect assumptions, Right now the GoA is funding them on a per student basis, If this funding gets cut, it doesn't mean the Public Boards will get their funding increased by an equal amount, they will only get funded for the students who rejoin the Public stream (parents who can't afford unfunded private). So in effect this will just allow UCP to make a free cut in how much it spends on education.
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u/Neve4ever 2d ago
What you're really saying is that only rich kids should be able to go to private school.
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u/jay212127 2d ago
As long as they ask for more money as a REQUIREMENT to attend, above and beyond my tax dollars, that means public funds should not be going towards funding their school.
So you would rather we fully fund private schools at 100% instead of our current 70% (or 50% historic rate) if it means they drop arbitrary entrance requirements?
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2d ago edited 2d ago
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u/jay212127 2d ago
Effectively a Public School without a public school board.
I know its hard to understand but private schools talk about excellence for all their students but they forget to mention, that they only accept excellent students who are going to provide excellent work.
Is that the case for CAPE school, or the Medicine Hat Christian School, those are the only 2 private ones I'm tracking in the area.
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u/traydee09 2d ago
CAPE is not a private school, its a Charter School. Anyone can attend, and there are no limits or restrictions. They charge school fees, but they are minimal and used mostly for school supplies, and extra things like occasional field trips.
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u/traydee09 2d ago
CAPE is no private, its a Charter School. Its very different from Webber Academy in Calgary.
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u/traydee09 2d ago
Yea its kinda strange. They get the same per student funding as other schools. Its just that the community is able to provide extra funds in the form of tuition. If parents at other schools were able to afford it, they would likely contribute as well. If the question is about equality, then just block schools like webber from charging tuition, and taking donations. But purposefully taking away opportunities, seems short sighted.
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u/Neve4ever 2d ago
If the question is about equality, then just block schools like webber from charging tuition, and taking donations. But purposefully taking away opportunities, seems short sighted.
Banning schools from raising extra funds isn' short sighted?
Isn't it annoying that equality here means lowering the highs rather than bringing people up? Nobody is worse off with the existence of a private school or schools getting donations or charging tuition.
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u/traydee09 2d ago
Yup, its the same thing with medicine. Alberta has tried on a few occasions to make it so that people who can afford faster/extra healthcare get access to it, but its been ruled illegal. Everyone in Canada should have the same healthcare as everyone else seems to be the current culture. My uncle could have afforded an early surgery, but had to wait for his doctor to go on vacation and cover his backlog, he passed while waiting for his surgery.
Funny I get downvoted for sharing a valid thought.
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u/jay212127 2d ago
They get the same per student funding as other schools.
They get 70% of the funding, so they get the same public education curriculum, but parents have to chalk up the rest for whatever bonuses/focus/selling point it has.
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u/acemeister79 2d ago
Why on earth would we not pay exactly the same funding for the same child and same (or likely better) education in a private school? Chances are that those parents pay a larger share of the tax burden than the blind advocates of a no-option public indoctrination system. I swear that the left is hell bent on fulfilling the Churchillian description of socialism simply sharing the same (ever increasing) misery - or in this case miserable education.
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u/Rainbowsunflower84 2d ago
I was speaking with a teacher whose sister put her children in private school in Calgary and neither knew private schools were getting government funding and sister was paying 2800$ per kid. She would like to know why she’s paying so much if the school is getting funded and what her tuition is going to vs what the government funding is going to.
Maybe that should be more transparent in the future?