Right-Wing Forces Target Alberta Education with Parental Rights Agenda

A recent report reveals how right-wing groups in Alberta are leveraging the concept of “parental rights” to challenge public education. The study highlights efforts to reshape educational policies that critics argue undermine inclusivity and children’s rights. The Parkland Institute’s research, titled “Challenging ‘Parental Rights’: A Primer for Parents, Students, Educators, and Advocates,” was authored by Heather Ganshorn, research director for the advocacy group Support Our Students Alberta.

Ganshorn points out that while parental rights were historically championed by minority groups seeking educational equity, today’s narrative is predominantly driven by conservative factions aligned with U.S. traditionalist groups. These entities aim to exert control over educational content, impacting what children can learn in schools. For instance, the government of Alberta, led by the United Conservative Party, recently attempted to regulate which books could be accessed by students, reflecting a growing trend that extends beyond Canadian borders.

According to investigative reporting by Brett McKay for the Investigative Journalism Foundation, Alberta’s Ministry of Education consulted a content-rating system devised by a former member of the U.S.-based organization Moms for Liberty to identify books for removal from school libraries in cities like Edmonton and Calgary. Additionally, restrictions on sex education implemented last week are part of a broader agenda associated with the modern parental rights movement in Alberta.

Ganshorn notes that such initiatives are often framed as protecting parental authority while frequently sidelining children’s rights. She asserts, “These measures… often override children’s rights and ignore the perspectives of supportive parents, particularly those in LGBTQ+ families.” The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not explicitly define parental rights, but legal scholars generally agree that they exist implicitly. Ganshorn emphasizes the need for a balance between these rights and the protection of children, who she describes as “uniquely vulnerable.”

The discussion around parental rights is closely linked to the privatization of education, particularly in Alberta, where a robust “school choice” system exists. The provincial government provides equivalent funding to both public and privately operated charter schools and subsidizes a significant portion of tuition for private institutions, a situation that began in the 1960s due to advocacy from conservative groups.

In her report, Ganshorn explains how a coalition of Dutch immigrant families, who sought alternatives to public education, established private religious schools, laying the groundwork for lobbying efforts that led to government support for private education. This trend gained momentum during the neoliberal era of the 1990s, when education began to be viewed as a market commodity, resulting in the creation of Alberta’s first charter schools.

As the narrative surrounding public education shifted, cultural conservatives began promoting fears that public schooling threatened traditional values. Ganshorn asserts that many involved in this culture war genuinely believe their way of life is under siege, stating, “It must be very disturbing to feel like the public education system is filling your child’s head with ideas that you profoundly disagree with.”

Ganshorn identifies three influential parental rights groups in Alberta: Parents for Choice in Education (PCE), the Alberta Parents’ Union, and Take Back Alberta. Established in 2012, PCE is led by executive director John Hilton-O’Brien, a former president of the Wildrose Party. The group has publicly asserted its role in advocating for restrictions on access to certain books in schools.

The Alberta Parents’ Union, formed in 2022, claims to promote the best educational outcomes for all Alberta students, regardless of the type of schooling chosen. However, many of its initiatives target the Alberta Teachers’ Association, accusing them of promoting ideologies that conflict with traditional values.

Meanwhile, Take Back Alberta, founded by David Parker, aims to influence school board elections, which are scheduled for October 20, 2023, coinciding with municipal elections. Parker has previously credited his organization with helping propel Danielle Smith to the premiership. The group is focused on electing right-wing candidates to school boards to counter what they term the “tyranny of the rainbow guard and the green guard.”

This low voter turnout in school board elections raises concerns about the potential for such candidates to reshape the inclusivity of public education from within. Ganshorn urges supporters of public education to scrutinize candidates’ affiliations and policy positions, particularly those invoking the concept of parental rights.

As Alberta navigates these contentious educational debates, the implications for students and families will be significant, shaping the future landscape of public education in the province.