Paige Beck, a 16-year-old student from Alberta, is determined to maintain her running routine despite the postponement of provincial cross country races due to a provincewide teachers’ strike. Additionally, she is striving to keep up with a Grade 12 biology course while being a Grade 11 student. However, the ongoing strike poses a significant obstacle for her academic progress.
The strike, which commenced on Oct. 6, involves over 51,000 teachers across Alberta in response to unresolved disputes between the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the provincial government. Contentious issues such as classroom sizes and salaries have led to the strike extending into its third week.
The impact of the strike is being felt by students like Beck, who expressed concerns about missing essential class time, affecting her performance in the biology course and potentially influencing her university application process. In response to the disruption, the province has announced adjustments to the upcoming standardized exams, making November diploma exams optional. However, exams scheduled for January and June remain unchanged, putting additional pressure on students like Beck to self-prepare for critical assessments.
Another student, Jane Kundert, a Grade 12 student, faces heightened stress as they strive to maintain grades for early admission to the University of Alberta’s kinesiology program while also awaiting the results of January diploma exams for other nursing program applications. The potential impact of the strike on students’ academic pursuits has prompted discussions about potential back-to-work legislation to resolve the situation.
The absence of regular school activities, including sports, is already affecting students reliant on athletic scholarships. Joe Klespitz, a 16-year-old running back, highlighted the challenges of not having recent game footage to share with post-secondary coaches and recruiters due to the disruption in school sports caused by the ongoing strike. The uncertainty surrounding the strike’s resolution and its impact on various facets of student life continues to raise concerns among the educational community in Alberta.