On Government Guidelines and Bill 10

To all Alberta home educators:
March 8, 2016

As school boards across our province wrestle with the provincial government’s requirement to have policies in place based on Bill 10, many home educators are wondering how this will affect us.

The short answer is that, in our individual homes, there could be no impact (although we would suggest using this as a topic of discussion in our homes on the role of government).

As it has always been, home educating parents will teach their children according to the beliefs held by the parents so that those children can be taught to respect all people.

The administrators of schools are, in a similar way, empowered to uphold their policies and procedures to create the best learning environment possible while still respecting the fact that parents are the primary educators of the children attending those schools.

AHEA had several objections to the passing of Bill 10 a year ago and, as this issue is again in the news, those objections are restated below so that Alberta home educators may have a clearer picture of the concerns.

At this time we would ask that all Alberta home educators pray for our elected representatives and the administrators of education (both within Alberta Education and at all of the schools and school boards), and that the faith and morals and values and ethics of individuals and families will be respected by our provincial government.

Paul van den Bosch

President
Alberta Home Education Association
[email protected]

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On the recent passing of Bill 10:

While the original version of Bill 10 included some positive elements, the amended Bill 10 actually reduces parental and local school authority.

It should also be noted that the amendments and the final vote on Bill 10 were ‘fast tracked’ through the legislature in order to reduce debate on the bill – something that should concern all Albertans.

Further, as stated in our December 1 2014 letter to the Premier and all MLAs, it is AHEA’s position that ALL students should be free from bullying for ANY reason but that each student – each person – is worthy of respect based on the fact that each one is a whole and complete person and that any attempt to define a person by only one aspect of his or her personhood is a form of bullying in itself.

We ask that all AHEA members and all home educators continue to pray for our elected leaders and for the future of home education in Alberta.

Since we don’t yet know the impact Bill 10 will have on home educators we should also pray for our students as well as students attending all Alberta schools.

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Links:
http://www.aheaonline.com/index.php/political-updates/496-bill-10-and-home-education
http://www.aheaonline.com/pdf/november/bill_202_letter_25112014