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Analysis of Educational Policies in Alberta

Education plays many roles in society, and the defined role of education will vary from person to
person, organization to organization, and country to country. Similarly, the ethical considerations
employed by each person, organization, and country will also vary. The role of education and ethical
considerations often go hand-in-hand with one another, and so this paper will be going over some of the
roles and ethics considered, stated, and implied by the guiding documents for Albertan education.
Specially, we will be looking at Alberta’s Education Act, Alberta’s Teaching Quality Standard (TQS), and the
Alberta Teacher Association’s (ATA) Code of Professional Conduct. For each of these documents, we will
discuss the stated goals, purposes, aims, and visions, responsibilities at all levels (from students all the
way to the government), ethical implications, and perspectives. Afterwards, we will consider any
similarities or differences across these documents. We will then deep-dive into the roles and
responsibilities of Albertan teachers by considering their stated responsibilities, implied responsibilities,
and ethical obligations. Finally, we will investigate the purpose of education and role of teachers by asking
ourselves, “to what degree do ethical considerations guide the teaching profession in Alberta?”

Education Act
Let us start by looking the government’s documents, and then we will compare it to the ATA. First,
we will be diving into the Education Act, which is a large document issued by the Government of Alberta
that outlines essentially all you need to know about the rules, legalities, and responsibilities of Albertan
schools and all involved parties. For this paper, we will only be looking at the Preamble, Part 1, Part 2:
Division 1, Part 3: Divisions 1-3, and Part 7: Division 1.

Preamble
The Preamble introduces the entire Education Act by stating what they believe the purpose of
education is. It states what people are entitled to and who is responsible for education. For example, it
says “education is the foundation of a democratic and civil society” (p. 10) and that it “inspires students
to discover and pursue their aspirations and interests and cultivates a love of learning and the desire to
be lifelong learners”. The Act then goes on to say:

The role of education is to develop engaged thinkers who think critically and creatively and
ethical citizens who demonstrate respect, teamwork and democratic ideals and who work
with an entrepreneurial spirit to face challenges with resiliency, adaptability, risk-taking, and
bold decision-making (p. 10).

Furthermore, the Act says that “education is a shared responsibility… of all partners in the
education system to ensure that all students achieve their potential” (p. 10) and adds that “parents have
the right and the responsibility to make informed decisions respecting the education of their children” (p.
11).

An interesting part of the preamble is also on page 11 when it says, “the Government of Alberta
recognizes the need to smooth the transition for students between secondary education and post-
secondary education or entry into the workforce.” While it recognizes the importance of transition, it does
not actually state that there is any responsibility by any partner in the education to actually support or
implement any transition. Instead, it is simply recognizing the importance and implying that partners
should be smoothing the transition.
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Another interesting part on the same page states that, “the Government of Alberta recognizes
the importance of teaching essential knowledge to help students develop foundational competencies”.
While it sounds a bit obvious, it got me thinking about who determines which knowledge is essential and
which competencies are considered foundational. Ethics would likely play a role here, because what a
person, organization, or government values will impact their views on this matter. For example, someone
who values equal treatment across the board would want to teach all students the same material,
whereas someone who values teaching a tailored curriculum to each student would teach each student
similar yet slightly different material.

Other statements outlined in the Preamble include providing choices to students, encouraging
the collaborating of all partners to ensure the educational success of Alberta’s First Nations, Metis, and
Inuit (FNMI) students, enabling high quality and socially engaging learning opportunities, flexible timing
and pacing, meeting diverse student needs, etc.

After considering the aforementioned aims, goals, visions, etc. stated in the Preamble and the
thoughts I have about them, I would say that the Education Act is rather idealistic. It aims to inspire
students and create life-long learners, while also aiming to encourage learners to think critically and
creatively, demonstrate respect and leadership, work as a team, be adaptable, etc. Additionally, it states
that the purpose of education is to achieve those aims and that education is the foundation of a
democratic and civil society. Is education truly the foundation of a democratic and civil society? Or is it,
possibly, the result of one? If our society was different, would it not be likely that our education system
and curriculum would be different? In the case of its aims and visions – that is, to inspire students, create
life-long learners, etc. – it would be interesting to know how successful Albertan education is in actually
achieving these goals. Are we expecting too much from our education system? How are we measuring
success in these areas?

Some ethical implications of the Preamble are that the Education Act intends to diversify for and
accommodate every individual and offer them choices and flexibility. Essentially, the Preamble is all about
ethical considerations and implications. This is particularly noted on page 10 when it states, “students are
entitled to welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments that respect diversity and
nurture a sense of belonging and positive sense of self.” Furthermore, it discusses the responsibilities of
all involved parties and that they all have an ethical duty to put in effort and take responsibility for the
students’ learning. Thus, it is both stating and implying that it is not just the education system’s or
teachers’ responsibilities to encourage and support the success of the learner; instead, the learner and
their parents and/or guardians are also responsible in collaborating, being engaging, making choices, and
more. Also implied is the role of other learners. When the Preamble states that all students are entitled
to a welcoming, safe learning environment that respects diversity, this goes beyond teachers and parents.
Other learners must also support such an environment, and thus every single person involved in the
education system, at any level, is responsible for making such an environment possible. This ties back into
ethical considerations, as everyone must adhere to the golden rule to treat others the way you want to
be treated. In some ways, this means everyone should treat everyone else fairly and equally. In other
ways, it means that we must treat others a bit differently, such as by offering accommodations,
modifications, etc.
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Part 1
Part 1 of the Education Act is all about access, or the right, to education. It starts off pretty basic
but then moves further into more specific details and unique cases. To start, it states that “every person
[who is] … 6 years of age or older and younger than 19 years of age,… a resident of Alberta, and… who has
a parent who is a resident of Canada, is entitled to have access in that school year to an education
program” (p. 17). It then says that a board may make an exception for certain people (who are younger
than 6 or older than 19) to have access to an education program for that school year.

Afterwards, it moves into some definitions and how one qualifies for schools and divisions. A
resident student is a student who is a part of a school division, and they qualify for a school division in
many different ways. The most common way is simply that the students’ parents reside in the area that
is designated to be for that specific school division. However, there are also students who are in unique
circumstances, such as those who are in the care of foster parents, resides in an unrecognized territory
(and is not considered an Indian as per the Indian Act residing on a reserve), is in the custody of the
Corrections Act, an institution, or the Crown, has parents living in two different divisions, is independent
and/or not under the care of parents or anyone else, etc. Each situation calls for different, yet similar,
course of action. Thus, this is where the ethical considerations and implications come into play.

Firstly, the Education Act is stating that everyone between ages 6 and 19, unless given an
exception by a board, is entitled to education as long as they are a resident of Alberta and they have a
parent who is a resident of Canada. However, it also states that children are only required to attend school
from the ages of 6 to 16, unless an exception is given (such as if they complete their schooling prior to the
age of 16). The government of Alberta, through the Education Act, is thus implying that learners age 6 to
16 must attend school regardless of whether or not they want to, their parents want them to, or other
underlying factors. For example, there may be cases where both parents are unable to care for their
children and so their 12 year old child has to take care of their 5 younger siblings. In a case like this, it is
unlikely that the 12 year old would be able to attend school while still caring for their siblings. I am not
arguing that the 12 year old should not have to attend school, but simply giving an example of an ethical
dilemma. Is education more important that caring for your family? Is education a necessity, especially for
those who do not want it or do not think they would benefit from it? For example, a child of a family of
farmers may have every intention of becoming a farmer just like their parents. They would benefit from
certain education, but is mainstream education and the Albertan curriculum going to benefit them?
Should it be absolutely necessary that they attend school until age 16?

The Act also discusses when schools are not required to be open and/or when a student is not
required to attend school. Some listed reasons are: (1) it is a religious holiday recognized by the religious
denomination that the student resident belongs to; (2) the student is sick; (3) the student is unable to
attend due to some unavoidable cause; (4) the student has been suspended or expelled; and (5) the
parents have excused the student for a period of time with sufficient cause and the board approves. While
some of these are quite vague, some specific examples that would fall into one of the listed categories
could be if the child has been injured, there has been the death of a loved one, or the family is going on
vacation. I find these to have very interesting ethical implications. For example, take students who are of
a minority religion. In Alberta, the most common religions would likely be Catholicism and Christianity.
Thus, on their religious holidays, the schools are often closed for all students, not just those who are of
that religion. Meanwhile, a student from a minority religion celebrating a holiday would still have school
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scheduled for that day and would have to be excused from school for that day. Of course, the Education
Act allows for this. However, is it not at least a bit unfair that all students get the school day off for a
holiday of a majority religion, but it is not the same case for a holiday of a minority religion? Are they
implicating that one religion is more important than the other? Or is it simply because so many students
would not attend on that day that it is not worth having the school open? If the latter, what about the
students who are not celebrating the holiday? Should they not have the choice to attend school and
receive an education?

Now, let us move past holidays and religions and now consider the statement that a student may
be excused from school if “a board or… Minister determines that the parent of the student has shown
sufficient cause as to why the student should not be required to attend school, and excuses the student
from attending school for a prescribed period of time” (p. 21). The example I gave above is when a family
goes on vacation. This is quite common, and the child may just miss one day or they may miss a week. In
some cases, they may even miss a month or more. While the board or Minister must approve of this, they
are implying that it is ethically okay for a student to miss school if their parents allow them to. However,
what about a situation where a student takes a week off of school to work to support his or her family,
but the parents did not excuse them? Is that not okay, but it is okay for a student to go camping for a
week with his or her family because their parents excused them? Even without comparing one scenario
to another, is it ever ethically right to allow a student to miss a prescribed period of their compulsory
education? While a day, or even a week, might not seem like much, what about when a student misses a
month or more? Should the board or a Minister ever approve of that? If so, what sort of cause is
considered sufficient to miss that much time? Additionally, I wonder how often the board or a Minister is
ever actually notified and asked about a student missing school for a prescribed period of time.

On page 21, the Act begins to discuss compulsory education. I discussed it briefly above, such as
that education is required from ages 6 to 16, but there are other statements and implications outlined in
the Act. For example, it states that a board shall attempt to ensure that a student attends the school that
they are a resident student of, and that this may include an attendance officer enter any building or
premise, during school areas, where the student may be suspected to be residing, working, etc. While
attendance officers are not typically allowed to visit a dwelling place of a student, they may receive
permission from a judge or justice of the peace. Thus, they are implying that they believe it is ethically
okay to send someone to check on, or retrieve, a student and accompany them either home or to the
school. If the student is working to take care of themselves or their families, should they be required to
attend school? Is education more important than making money to meet your basic needs? Again, I am
not arguing one way or the other, just simply bringing up some questions to consider.

Part 2: Division 1
Part 2 is all about opportunities for learning, and division 1 is specifically about diverse and flexible
learning. It discusses that Albertan programs of study, schools, and programs must reflect the diverse
nature and heritage of Albertan society, promote understanding and respect for others, and honour and
respect the common values and beliefs of Albertans. It adds that they also must not “promote or foster
doctrines of racial or ethnic superiority or persecution, social change through violent action or
disobedience of laws” (p. 27). This part is essentially stating ethical requirements for Albertan education,
practically making these ethics into laws, whereas the first part is much broader (i.e. “reflect the diverse
nature… of society in Alberta” (p. 27)). This statement could be taken in many ways, such as the diversity
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of races, gender identities, sexual orientations, political views, etc. However, the follow-up to it specifically
discusses race and ethnicity, before going back to broader statements.

Following the diversity of respect sub-section, the Act moves into language of instruction and
states that “every student is entitled to receive instruction in English” and adds that “a board may
authorize the use of French or any other language as a language of instruction” (p. 27). This aligns nicely
with the above sub-section, as it allows for diversity and for people of various races and ethnicities to
potentially receive instruction in their native language.

The next sub-section describes the Minister’s role in courses, programs of study, and more. It
outlines that the Minister may prescribe courses, programs of study, credit requirements, course
sequencing, course advancement, learning and teaching resources, and goals and standards applicable to
Albertan education. Furthermore, the Minister may allow a board to prohibit the use of a course, program
of study, or learning and teaching resources that conflict with that board’s religious instruction. The latter
statement creates an interesting ethical dilemma, in my opinion. On one hand, it allows for the diversity
of religion and implies that people have a religious right to receive instruction and content that aligns with
said religion. However, it also results in limiting the instruction and content that students would otherwise
receive in other religious or non-religious schools; and for students who attend a religious school but are
not religious themselves, they are being deprived of instruction and content that they may want to learn.

Next, the Act discusses alternative programs, which is defined as “an education program offered
by a board that (a) emphasizes a particular language, culture, religion or subject-matter, or (b) uses a
particular teaching philosophy” (p. 28). However, it does not include religious education programs,
Francophone education programs, or specialized supports and services. Parents who request to enrol
their child in an alternative program and are approved may have to pay additional fees. These fees may
only be for the purpose of defraying all or a portion of non-instruction costs that may be incurred as a
result of the alternative program being offered, are necessary for the delivery of the program, and/or are
in addition to the costs of a non-alternative program. Thus, parents have the choice to enrol their students
in an alternative program, but they may have to pay extra for it, as these programs may cost more than a
typical education program. Furthermore, the board that offers the alternative program is not required to
accept every request, as they must have enough sufficient resources and facilities. The ethical implication
here is that parents and students have the right to choice, but not the right to an alternative education.
While they can request it, it is not guaranteed that they will receive it.

Another choice of education is for parents to homeschool their child. Home education must meet
the requirements of the Education Act and programs of study, and still be under the supervision of a
board, the Minister, or the person responsible for the operation of a private school. Thus, the Act is again
allowing choice and diversity in education, while still ensuring that the education offered is meeting
requirements and expectations. If home education was unsupervised, there stands a chance that
homeschooled children would not receive an education equivalent to non-homeschooling education, thus
creating a depravity in knowledge, skills, and other education between the two types of educational
programming.

Similar to alternative education programs, there are also early childhood services programs. While
it is not required, children under the age of 6 (or 7, if approved by both parents and the board) may attend
if the board approves them. If approved, parents may be charged additional fees for the delivery of the
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program. Again, the ethical implication here is that early childhood services programs are a choice and
not a right.

When education takes place off-campus, such as online schooling or apprenticeships, a board may
enter into an agreement with a person to provide a workplace for the students. However, in order for off-
campus education to take place, the board and the parents of the child (or the child himself/herself if over
the age of 16) must both approve of and consent to it. Thus, it is implied that off-campus education cannot
be forced upon a student without consent from either student and/or their parents. However, I believe
this creates yet another unique dilemma. With COVID-19 creating a situation of self-isolation, schools
closed and the only method of instruction offered by many schools became online education. Since this
would likely qualify as off-campus education, there was no consent requested by the board or the
government. It appears that this part of the Act stands true for most scenarios, but may be adapted
according to extenuating circumstances (such as a world pandemic).

Part 3: Divisions 1-3

Division 1
Part 3 of the Education Act discusses responsibilities of all partners and parties in the education
system and how disputes are resolved, and division 1 specifically discusses the responsibilities of students,
parents, boards, and trustees. Administrations and teachers are discussed in Part 7: Division 1.

Students
Students have the responsibility to attend school regularly and punctually, be ready to learn,
actively engage in and pursue education, contribute a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning
environment that respect diversity and fosters a sense of belonging, respect the rights of others, refrain
from, report, and not tolerate bulling or bullying behaviour, comply with the rules and policies of the
school and its board, co-operate with everyone authorized by the board to provide education programs
and other services, be accountable for their conduct, and contribute positively to their school and the
community.

Personally, I think that is a lot to hold a student accountable for, and I am also curious as to how
they would hold students accountable. While many students do all or most of these, there are also
students who do not. While punitive action, such as suspension or expulsion, may take place for students
who fail to meet their responsibilities as per the Act, many of the responsibilities seem hard to measure
and observe. However, I understand that the purpose of this sub-section is to set ethical expectations for
all students. It would be rather unethical if the Act condoned bullying or bullying behaviour, or if they
simply turned a blind eye to it. Instead, they have the expectation that students follow these
responsibilities and hold themselves accountable to the ethics behind them.

Parents
Parents have the right to choose the kind of education provided to their child (as discussed in
previous sections), however they also have responsibilities. Parents must act as the primary guide and
decision-maker in regard to their child’s education, take an active role in the educational success of their
child, ensure their child attends school (regularly and punctually), ensure that they contribute to a
welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment, co-operate and collaborate with school staff
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and encourage, foster, and advance positive and respectful relationships with them, and engage in the
child’s school community.

As above, I believe these are a lot of responsibilities to place on parents without actually holding
them, or being able to hold them, accountable. While many parents do hold themselves accountable for
these responsibilities, there are also those who do not. Not all parents are involved in the educational
success of their child, nor do they engage in or support collaborate, positive relationships with school staff
members. Again, I believe it goes back to the ethical implications of these responsibilities and that the
Education Act (and thus the Albertan government) must encourage such ethical responsibilities.

The Board
The board has the responsibility to deliver appropriate education programming, provide
assurances for student achievement of learning outcomes, provide for the engagement of all educational
partners, ensure that each student enrolled, and each staff member employed, in a school operated by a
board is provided with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects
diversity and fosters a sense of belonging, provide a continuum of supports and services to students,
collaborate with outside partners to effectively address the needs of all students and manage the use of
public resources, collaborate with post-secondary institutions and the community to smooth transitions
between secondary and post-secondary education, establish and maintain governance and organizational
structures to promote student well-being and success, ensure effective stewardship of the board’s
resources, recruit a superintended and entrust them with day-to-day management of the school division,
develop and implement a code of conduct, comply with all applicable Acts and regulation, establish and
appropriate dispute resolution process, and carry out any other matters that the Minister prescribes (p.
38-39).

The board is also responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining a policy respecting
the board’s obligation to provide a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment, including
establishing a code of conduct that addresses bullying behaviour. The code of conduct should be made
publicly available, reviewed every year, and be provided to all staff of the board, students of the board,
and parents of student of the board. The code of conduct should contain a “statement of purpose that
provides a rationale for the code of conduct” (p. 39), at least one statement addressing the prohibited
grounds of discrimination, at least one statement about what is acceptable versus unacceptable
behaviour and where these behaviours take place (such as on or off school grounds), at least one or more
statements about the consequences of unacceptable behaviour, taking into account the students’ age,
maturity, and individual circumstances, and one or more statements about the support that is provided
to students impacted by or who engaged in inappropriate behaviour. The ethical considerations here are
that everyone involved in the school district should have access to the code of conduct and be aware of
the policies and procedures of that board/school district. For example, teachers, parents, and students
should all know how the school attempts to prevent and addresses bullying and bullying behaviour, and
what is done to support both students impacted by and who engaged in such behaviour. If a school was
not open about such policies and procedures, people may be wary about what is happening and how it
happens, and may assume that the school is doing something unethical. By being open and involving all
partners, the board is ethically transparent and also promotes ethically appropriate conduct and
behaviours.
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Again, there are a lot of responsibilities, but these ones are able to be measured and monitored.
Furthermore, a board can actually be held accountable for meeting these responsibilities, as they are
much more regulated and controlled. For example, being on the board is a job – if one fails to do their
job, there are disciplinary measures that could take place, such as suspension or termination. Meanwhile,
a parent cannot necessarily be fired from being a parent, except for in extreme circumstances. Even then,
they are not “fired”; instead, they may lose custody of the child. However, the responsibilities of students,
parents, and the board all align relatively well. All of them have the responsibility to ensure a safe,
welcoming, positive learning environment that fosters a sense of belonging, collaborate with school staff
members and community members for the sake of education, and to encourage and support the
educational success of the student.

Division 2
Division 2 discusses bullying awareness and non-discrimination, which would both tie into the
Preambles statement of providing students with welcoming, safe learning environments that encourage
diversity and respect. It also ties into many aspects of Part 2: Division 1, as it repeatedly discussed safe,
welcoming, inclusive learning environments and how bullying and bullying behaviour is both addressed
and not permitted.

In Division 2, it is stated that the third week of November every year is Bullying Awareness and
Prevention Week, and the purpose of it is “to promote awareness and understanding of bullying and its
consequences in the school community” (p. 40). The stated ethical considerations here are that schools
should promote awareness of bullying and that bullying behaviour results in consequences. However, the
implied ethical considerations are that the community should understand both the impact of bullying
behaviour and the cause of bullying. Thus, I believe this Division focuses heavily on awareness,
understanding, communication, and empathy.

The next part discusses student organizations and how schools support them. If a student
requests support to establish a voluntary student organization, or to lead an activity that intends to
promote a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment, the principal must permit the
establishment of the organization or the holding of the activity and designate a staff member to either
facilitate the establishment or assist with organizing the activity. The organization and/or activity must
have a respectful and inclusive name approved by the principal, and the principal must inform the board
and the Minister if there are no staff members able to sere as a staff liaison. In such a case, the Minister
shall appoint a responsible adult to act as a liaison. Thus, this Division implies that it is ethically
irresponsible and prohibited to allow an organization or activity that does not promote a welcoming,
caring, respectful and safe learning environment and/or discriminates according to the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms. For example, students could not form a “Anti-Christian Club”, but they could form a
“Christian Club”. The former discriminates, while the latter promotes diversity and acceptance. A school,
by allowing students to engage in conduct that promotes an inclusive environment, promotes an inclusive
environment themselves.

Division 3
Finally, division 3 goes over student discipline, such as suspensions and expulsions. It states that
a teacher or principal may student under certain circumstances, such as if the student failed to comply
with the code of conduct or if the student’s conduct harmed the physical or mental well-being of others
in the school. A teacher may only suspend a student for one class period, whereas a principal may suspend
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a student from the school, one or more classes or class periods, transportation, or any school-related
activity. If a student is suspended, the principal must immediately inform the students’ parents of the
suspension and provide them with a written report regarding the circumstances of the suspension, and
provide the parents – or the student, if over age 16 – with the opportunity to discussed the suspension. It
is also noted that a suspension may not exceed 5 school days, except when the principal has
recommended that the student be expelled and the board is in the process of determining whether or not
the student will be expelled.

As for expulsions, a principal may recommend that a student be expelled if the student has
displayed an attitude of wilful, blatant, and repeated refusal to comply with their student responsibilities
or the code of conduct, if the student’s conduct harmed the physical or mental well-being of others in the
school, or if the student distributed an intimate image of another person within the school. If the principal
does recommend that a student be expelled, he/she must immediately inform the board and the students’
parents. They must provide the board with a written report regarding the circumstances of the expulsion
recommendation, and the board must allow the student and their parents to make representations if they
so choose to. Within 10 school days after the initial suspension, the board must decide whether to expel
the student or return the student to their school, class, course or courses, or school-related activity that
they had initially been suspended from.

Some finer details here are that a board may not expel a student that was not recommended by
a principal, and that the expulsion takes place immediately after the decision has been made.
Furthermore, the board may establish rules or conditions regarding the expulsion, such as whether or not
the student may still be enrolled in other courses, activities, or forms of transportation, and how long the
expulsion will last for (such as if it will last the remainder of the year or indefinitely, etc.). Once all of these
decisions have been made and the expulsion is in place, the board must immediately notify, in writing,
the parents of the student (or the student, if over the age of 16), of the expulsion, any rules or conditions
regarding the expulsion, and the right to request a review. Once expelled, a student must be provided
with a different supervised education program and supports and services.

This section puts a lot of responsibility on principals and the board, while still considering the
perspectives of students and their parents. It offers students and their parents the choice to make
representations to the board and request reviews regarding expulsions, thus allowing them to make a
case, share their perspectives, bring new evidence to light, and, in a sense, provide them with the right to
a fair trial. There are many parties and steps involved in suspensions and expulsions, and the ethical
implication is that it keeps things fair and unbiased. For example, a teacher may be biased toward a certain
kid. Thus, the principal is the first “safety net”, in that they can help prevent an unfair suspension or
expulsion. In a case where both the teacher and principal are biased, the next protective measure is the
board. However, they may be receiving biased information, and thus representations from parents and/or
review requests are the final protective measure. If an expulsion or suspension was all in the hands of one
person, there is the chance that a student would be unfairly expelled.

Part 7: Division 1
Part 7 is about education professions and occupations, such as teachers, principals, and more.
Similar to Part 3: Division 1, Division 1 of Part 7 is about the responsibilities of teachers and principals
within the education system.
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Teachers
Teachers must provide instruction competently to students. Furthermore, they must teach the
courses and programs of study that are prescribed and approved or authorized, and promote goals and
standards applicable to the provision of education, as pursuant to the act. These statements prevent (or
should prevent) teachers from teaching whatever they please and however they please. By teaching this
way, all students should receive at least similar education in terms of content, and no teacher should
promote an unsafe, unwelcoming, or disrespectful learning environment. However, the extent to which
teachers promote the goals and standards as outlined within the Education Act may vary. While one
teacher may very strongly emphasize these goals and standards, another teacher may put in the minimum
amount of effort.

Teachers must also encourage and foster learning in students, regularly assess students and
periodically report the results, maintain order and discipline among students under the discretion of the
principal, and carry out their assigned duties pursuant to their collective agreement, contract, principal,
and the board. It is their responsibility to ensure that students are receiving a quality education and that
the instruction and content is meeting the expectations set forth within the Education Act.

Principals
A principal of a school must provide instructional leadership in the school, provide a welcoming,
caring, respectful and safe learning environment, ensure that the instruction provided by teachers is
consistent with the courses and programs of study pursuant to the Act, evaluate programs offered in the
school, ensure that students have the opportunity to meet the standards of education, direct the
management of the school, maintain order and discipline, promote co-operation between the school and
its community, supervise the evaluation and advancement of students, evaluate the teachers employed
by the school, and carry out their assigned duties pursuant to their collective agreement, contract, school
council, and the board.

Ultimately, it is the principals responsibility to promote a positive and welcoming learning

environment and to ensure that all teachers and students are meeting the expectations set forth within
the Education Act through assessment and management.

Teaching Quality Standard

Next, we will look the Alberta’s TQS. Ultimately, this document briefly summarizes the
expectations both the government and the ATA has for Albertan teachers, which includes inclusive
pedagogical practices, engaging in professional development and staying current on technology, teaching
about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) people and history, accommodating and differentiating for
students, and following laws. There are seven teaching quality standards, and we will go through them
one at a time.

Fostering Effective Relationships

This section of the TQS involves teachers building positive and productive relationships with all
partners in and to the education system in order to support student learning. This would involve “acting
consistently with fairness, respect and integrity… demonstrating empathy and a genuine caring for
others… providing culturally appropriate and meaningful opportunities… inviting FNMI members into the
school and classrooms… collaborating with community service professionals… and honouring cultural
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diversity and promoting intercultural understanding” (p. 4). While it is all stated rather simply, it is
implying that teachers are ethically obligated to not discriminate and that they must promote cultural
diversity, acceptance, respect, integrity, inclusivity, and belongingness through both their teaching and
their actions.

It does make a point of mentioning collaboration, especially with FNMI members (parents,
guardians, Elders, etc.), mental health workers, social services, law enforcement, and more. While it does
not specifically discuss their perspectives, it does imply that these peoples’ perspectives should be
brought into the school and classrooms to be shared with students. It may also be implying that students
should be given the opportunity to hear from diverse perspectives and build relationships with these
community members, which may help students academically, mentally, emotionally, professionally, etc.

Engaging in Career-Long Learning

A teacher should engage in career-long professional learning and critical reflection in order to
improve both their teaching and learning. This could be done by “collaborating with other teachers…
actively seeking out feedback… building capacity to support student success… seeking, critically reviewing
and applying educational research… enhancing understanding of [FNMI]… worldviews, cultural beliefs,
languages and values… [and] maintaining an awareness of emerging technologies” (p. 4). This section
implies that a teacher should continuously consider the ethics of their knowledge and actions, such as if
a way they are behaving is having a positive or a negative impact on the students and their learning. Thus,
it is important to receive feedback from teachers, students, and other educational partners in order to
improve their teaching practices. Teachers have an ethical duty to perpetually grow professionally and
update and expand their teaching practices, capacities, and knowledge. If they fail to do so, it could result
in students not receiving the best education possible and that would be, more or less, the fault of the
teacher. For example, if we look at how schools used to be very “industrial”, we would see how teachers
primarily taught via lectures and students took notes and filled out workbooks. Tests were highly
standardized, there was a lack of technology, and the purpose of education was to benefit society and
create capable workers. Nowadays, schooling is a lot more individualized and fosters creativity and
experimentation. We see accommodations, flexibility, student choice, and a variety of projects and
technology. If a teacher never engaged in career-long learned and taught students as they did in the past,
their students would receive a drastically different education than students of other teachers and this
would impact them academically, socially, professionally, and more.

Demonstrating a Professional Body of Knowledge

This is essentially the “guts” of teaching, as it discusses that teachers must apply a “current and
comprehensive repertoire of effective planning, instruction, and assessment practices to meet the
learning needs of every student” (p. 5). I would argue that this section is what schools emphasize when
training new teachers and preparing them to enter the workforce. While all other sections of the TQS are
important, this section is more curriculum-based and considers things such as assessment, lesson plans,
activities, and more.

For example, it discusses planning and designing short, medium, and long-term lessons and units
that are inclusive, engaging, relevant, flexible, varied, and meaningful in order to meet the desired
outcomes and learning needs of all students. It also discusses using a variety of instructional strategies
and assignments to engage students in meaningful activities, and, in order to do so, the teacher must have
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specialized knowledge of the subject area(s), and understand their students’ backgrounds, prior
knowledge, experiences, and how they learn and develop as learners.

This section is much more about stated responsibilities rather than implied ones, but there are
still numerous ethical considerations here. First, it implies that a teacher is only qualified to teach a subject
area in which they have specialized knowledge. Otherwise, they are not going to be able to provide
students with the best education possible (and this point will later be discussed in the Code of Professional
Conduct). Furthermore, it states that lessons should be engaging, relevant, and meaningful. Thus, it is
implying that a teacher should not ethically teach a lesson that is disengaging, irrelevant, or not
meaningful to students. However, this may create a bit of a dilemma, as not all students are ever going to
find engagement, meaning, or relevancy in every lesson. So, the true implication here is that the teacher
has an ethical obligation to try. A teacher should not go over a lesson without explaining the intended
learning outcome, nor should they always teach and assess in the same way. Instead, the teacher should
communicate expectations, the learning outcome(s), and how it is relevant to students, while also offering
varied instruction and assignments.

Establishing Inclusive Learning Environments

“A teacher establishes, promotes and sustains inclusive learning environments where diversity is
embraced and every student is welcomed, cared for, respected and safe” (p. 6). By providing a welcoming,
caring, respectful, safe, and inclusive learning environments, students can then focus on their learning
rather than things such as their physical wellbeing, bullying, or feeling unwanted. A teacher should never
discriminate, and they should support students’ strengths and areas for growth, affirm that every student
can be successful, be aware of each students’ specific learning needs, and be aware of and support
students’ emotional and mental health needs.

The ethical considerations here are that students must be taught as individuals and not as
“average” students, as there is not such thing as “average”. In a TEDx Talk by Todd Rose, titled “The Myth
of Average” (2013), Rose discusses how the U.S.A. wanted to make cockpits for their pilots that fit as
accurately as possible, and so they designed a cockpit for the “average” pilot. However, a study was later
done that looked at 4,000 pilots on 10 different dimensions (such as height, shoulders, etc.) and compared
each of these pilots to the “average” pilot that cockpits were made for. The findings? Not one of the 4,000
pilots fit the “average” pilot in all 10 dimensions. Thus, a term of “jagged dimensions” was created, and it
means that every person is going to have a different score in different dimensions and that it is extremely
rare for two (or more) people to have the exact same dimensions. This was then applied in a classroom,
and the dimensions here could be numeracy or literacy skills, etc. Of course, students also have jagged
dimensions.

I would say that the concept of jagged dimensions and the myth of average can be applied far
beyond a typical learning environment and consider things such as mental health, cultural backgrounds,
home life, and more. If teachers create a classroom that is designed for the average student, will any
student truly feel welcomed and cared for? How would teachers support the strengths and areas of
growth of each student, if they are attempting to support the strengths and areas of growth of the average
student? Thus, teachers must consider the jagged dimensions of each and every student and adapt their
instruction, lessons, and classroom environments for both their students and classes. Teachers must also
consider the mental and emotional needs of their students, as these are directly related to feelings of
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respect, safety, trust, caring, and more. Thus, a teacher has both ethical and professional obligations to
establish an inclusive learning environment in their classrooms and school.

Applying Foundational Knowledge about FNMI

Teachers must develop and apply foundational knowledge about FNMI culture and people for the
benefit of all students. In the previous sections, we discussed incorporating and collaborating with FNMI
members, however the other sections primarily discussed it as fostering effective relationships,
demonstrating a professional body of knowledge, and establishing an inclusive learning environment.
Meanwhile, this section states the importance of FNMI knowledge as a learning outcome to benefit all
students.

While this section primarily makes statements about how to incorporate FNMI knowledge in
classrooms and develop understanding and respect for FNMI history, culture, language, and more, it is
implied that all of this FNMI knowledge helps to foster a sense of respect, understanding, inclusivity, and
connectivity among students in classrooms and the school as a whole. Furthermore, I would argue that it
goes above and beyond just FNMI and non-FNMI students understanding and respecting one another, as
students who can empathize with, understand, and respect another culture will be able to apply similar
feelings, actions, and knowledge to other cultures. So even if students may not have specifically learned
about Japanese culture, they have learned about FNMI culture and so they already have a very basic
understanding that Japanese culture is different from their own and that they have different histories,
languages, perspectives, and more. Thus, this section’s ethical implications is that it helps foster empathy
and understanding for all students.

Adhering to Legal Frameworks and Policies

Of course, teachers have a legal, professional, and ethical responsibility to adhere to legal
frameworks and policies. This includes the Education Act, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the school
authority’s policies and procedures. Furthermore, teachers must recognize that the teaching profession
is bound by standards of conduct (such as the ATA’s Code of Professional Conduct) and that they are
expected to be caring, knowledgeable, and reasonable adults, especially in regard to their students. This
will further be discussed in the Code of Professional Conduct section below.

Code of Professional Conduct

Finally, we will now look into the ATA’s Code of Professional Conduct. This one-page document
briefly summarizes the professional expectations and responsibilities Albertan teachers have to students,
school authorities, colleagues, and the profession itself.

Students
The ATA specifically states that a teacher must teach in a manner that “respects the dignity and
rights of all persons” as per Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In other words, a teacher is not
permitted to discriminate. It adds that a teacher must treat pupils “with dignity and respect” and to be
“considerate of their circumstances”. The ethical implications here are that teachers should, as stated,
treat all students with respect and dignity, free from prejudice and discrimination. Thus, they must
consider the individuality of each student and their unique circumstances, such as their home life,
personalities, circle of friends, disabilities, race, gender, sexual orientation, and much more.
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The Code of Professional Conduct also talks about the responsibilities of teachers to their
students, such as that teachers are responsible for “diagnosing educational needs, prescribing and
implementing instruction programs and evaluating the progress of pupils”; furthermore, it states that a
teacher may not delegate these responsibilities to anyone who is not a teacher. The ethical consideration
here is that a teacher is witness to the student in a learning setting and is perhaps one of the people who
best understands each students’ educational needs. Furthermore, a teacher has been trained and is
qualified to be diagnosing educational needs, prescribing and implementing instruction programs, and
evaluating the progress of their students, whereas other people do not have the training and qualifications
to do so. For example, it would clearly be unethical for a teacher to delegate these duties to a receptionist,
caretaker, or cafeteria worker. However, a less obvious example would be that a teacher also may not
delegate these duties to a school counsellor or education assistant.

Other ethical considerations that apply to an Albertan teacher are to: maintain the confidentiality
of information about a student that was given in confidence (unless required by law or in the best interest
of the student), not accept pay for tutoring students in any subject that the teacher is responsible for
giving instruction and assessing progress, and not take advantage of their position to profit from the sale
of goods and/or services to or for students in which the teacher is responsible for. These three statements
emphasize the integrity of the teaching profession and that a teacher should never use their position
unethically or irresponsibly. Thus, the aim here is for teachers to hold themselves to a high ethical
standard and to always act in the best interest of their students and never use their students or their
position to gain goods or services.

Administration
This section of the Code of Professional Conduct is relatively short, but important nonetheless. It
states that a teacher has a responsibility to decline any duties they are not qualified for or are unable to
render professional service due to difficult or conflicting circumstances. Hence, it is a teachers’ ethical
obligation to only accept duties and assignments which they are fully capable of doing. This does not mean
that a teacher can simply decline a duty or assignment that they do not want to do. For example, perhaps
a school requests that a teacher starts to teach a new math class, despite the fact that they are typically
a science teacher. In this case, the teacher is likely both qualified and capable of teaching the math class
– they would just have to put in a fair amount of time and effort to prepare themselves for it. However, if
a school requests that a teacher coaches badminton three times a week after school, but that teacher
already coaches volleyball on those same days, they have the ethical responsibility to decline.

Other ethical responsibility a teacher has to the administration of their school is to fulfill their
contractual obligations until released by mutual consent or according to the law, and that they must
provide as much notice as possible if they plan to terminate their employment. By law, any employee is
only required to provide a specific amount of notice as per the length of their employment. For example,
an employee who has been working with an employer for less than two years only need to provide one
week notice. If an employee has been working with an employer for between two and four years, they
need to provide two weeks’ notice. As the length of employment increases, so does the required amount
of notice. However, the ATA’s Code of Professional Conduct states that teachers have an ethical
responsibility to go above and beyond what is required by law and to provide as much notice as possible
– not just the minimum. So if a teachers knows a year in advance that they will be terminating their
employment, they should inform their employer, even if law only requires them to give two weeks’ notice.
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Teachers
Of course, teachers also have obligations to their fellow teachers. They should not undermine the
confidence of pupils in other teachers (which was discussed above, as a teacher should never divulge
information about a student that was received in confidence), nor should they criticize the professional
competence or reputation of another teacher unless they have already discussed this criticism with said
teacher. Even if they have discussed it with the teacher, they should then only present the criticism in
confidence to proper officials. The implication here is to protect the integrity of both students and
teachers, and to ensure that any information and criticism is authentic, in good faith, and in the best
interest of the student and/or school. I believe it is also implied that a teacher should first present any
criticism to their colleague so that any misunderstandings can be cleared and/or to give the teacher a
chance to correct their actions or behaviours. In the case that a teacher does decide to make a report on
the professional performance of another teacher, they must first provide that teacher with a written copy
of the report prior to submitting that report to officials. I believe the implied reasoning behind this is to
avoid any blindsides or misunderstandings, and to give the colleague a chance to prepare themselves for
and be aware of the situation that lies ahead.

Teachers should also never take any steps to secure the dismissal of another teacher due to
animosity or personal advantage. Implied here, and in the other obligations between teachers, is that
teachers should always act in good faith toward one another and never undermine, criticize, or sabotage
another teacher in bad faith. This would also apply to the professional conduct between teachers and
students, as it is similar to what was discussed above (such as teachers not profiting from goods or services
from their position).

Profession
As a teacher is a professional position, they are held to high ethical standards and must follow the
ATA’s Professional Code of Conduct, which includes acting in a certain way. While the above three sections
discuss many of the ethical considerations and implications, as well as responsibilities and behaviours,
that a teacher must have toward students, administration, and fellow teachers, how must they behave
overall? This section starts of by stating that a teacher must act “in a manner which maintains the honour
and dignity of the profession”. While this is pretty vague and/or broad, it implies that a teacher must also
act with honour and dignity, even when outside of the classroom. This point should particularly be taken
into account for teachers’ online presences, as they are teachers both online and offline. It is definitely
not uncommon for a teacher to get in trouble for posting pictures or messages that do not maintain the
honour and/or dignity of the teaching profession.

Another important point here is when the Code states that a teacher must “not engage in
activities which adversely affect the quality of the teachers professional service”. This relates to the
aforementioned point in conduct between teachers, such that a teacher should not criticize the
professional competence or reputation of another teacher unless in good faith and through proper
channels and procedures. Together, the two of these imply that teachers should not sabotage or unjustly
criticize a colleague. For example, one teacher should never speak poorly of another teacher to parents
or students. If a teacher has a concern with another teacher, they should speak to that teacher; in the
case that the dilemma cannot be resolved, the teacher should then bring the concern to proper officials.
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The final points of the Code of Professional Conduct state that a teacher should submit any
disputes that cannot be resolved arising from professional relationships with fellow teachers to the ATA.
Furthermore, teachers are only allowed to make representations on behalf of the ATA when authorized.
Finally, it states that teachers accept that service to the ATA is a professional responsibility. In other words,
service to the ATA, such as following the Code of Professional Conduct, is a requirement of their
profession; it is not a guideline or a choice.

Similarities and Differences

So, how are these documents both similar and different? As I am sure you have noticed from our
investigation thus far, there is a lot of overlap. However, there are also a lot of incongruences, different
focuses, and conflicting expectations across documents and sometimes even in the same document.

Similarities
A common similarity throughout the guiding documents is the emphasis on encouraging diversity
and respect, engaging on non-discriminatory practices, and offering choice and flexibility. This is
particularly emphasized in the government documents, but it is also implied in the Code of Professional
Conduct when it discusses teachers diagnosing students’ education needs, prescribing and implementing
educational programs, and assessing the progress of the students.

Another similarity is the professional responsibility of teachers. While these documents are not
necessarily “laws”, they should be treated as such. A teacher should not act in a way that would reflect
poorly on the profession, nor should they act in a way that would hinder the educational success of any
students.

Differences
One difference among the documents that really stood out to me was that of perspectives. The
Education Act considers many different perspectives and responsibilities, such as teachers, boards,
parents, students, and more. Meanwhile, both the TQS and the ATA’s Code of Professional Conduct only
focus on the perspectives and responsibilities of teachers.

Unlike the governments’ documents, the Code of Professional Conduct strongly emphasizes the
conduct between teachers and various other parties within the education system. While all of these
documents discuss the conduct between teachers and students, this document sets expectations for the
conduct between teachers and administration, teachers and teachers, and teachers and the profession.

Leading off of that, the Code of Professional Conduct is also the only one that discusses the
profession itself and the responsibility that teachers have to it. Although, I am curious if the Education Act
may have mentioned it in other parts or divisions that were not focused on in this project.

While I did only focus on certain parts of the Education Act, I was surprised by the lack of stated
purpose or responsibilities regarding the emotional and mental well-being on students in both the
Education Act and the Code of Professional Conduct. While it is implied by all documents that teachers
must treat all students with respect and dignity, and to offer inclusive, welcoming, and safe learning
environments, there is nothing that explicitly states that a teacher should help a student mentally,
emotionally, or socially except for in the TQS in the section of establishing inclusive learning environments.
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Roles of Education
According to each of these three guiding documents, what is the purpose of education? Let us
summarize them briefly in one sentence.

The Education Act states:

The role of education is to develop engaged thinkers who think critically and creatively and
ethical citizens who demonstrate respect, teamwork and democratic ideals and who work
with an entrepreneurial spirit to face challenges with resiliency, adaptability, risk-taking, and
bold decision-making (p. 10).

The TQS does not state anything explicitly, but it appears to imply that the role of education is to
meet the learning needs of all students by supporting their individual circumstances, strengths, areas of
growth, cultures, backgrounds, mental and emotional needs in order to encourage empathy, respect,
understanding, relationship-building, and inclusivity among students, community members, and other
partners in the education system.

The Code of Professional Conduct also does not state anything explicitly, but it also has little to
do with education itself and instead just focuses on conduct within the realm of education. However, it
implies that the role of education is to be inclusive, respectful, and considerate of individual circumstances
in order to provide all students with instruction, programs, and assessment that is accurately provided by
qualified individuals in good faith and for the purpose of benefiting the student.

Responsibilities of Teachers
What about the responsibilities of teachers? The documents have discussed it briefly, but we have
only gone over what is stated in these documents. We will further discuss these stated responsibilities,
but also discuss what their implied responsibilities are and the ethics that teachers must both consider
and apply throughout their careers.

Stated Responsibilities
I will just briefly state the responsibilities outlined among these guiding documents, and they will
not be in any particular order. Then, I will discuss the implied responsibilities within the documents.
Teachers must:

- Promote a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects
diversity and fosters a sense of belonging;
- Provide instruction and content in courses and programs of study pursuant to the Education
Act;
- Regularly assess the progress of students and occasionally report the progress to the principal,
board, and parents;
- Only accept duties and responsibilities for which they are capable of rendering professional
service(s);
- Fulfill their contractual obligations until released by mutual consent from their employer;
- Stay updated on teaching practices and technology;
- Apply a current and comprehensive repertoire of effective planning, instruction, and
assessment practices to meet the learning needs of every student;
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- Collaborate with all partners of the education system and the community it services;
- Foster effective relationships; and
- Engage in career-long learning.

Implied Responsibilities
- Treat students with respect and dignity;
- Teach students about empathy, diversity, and acceptance;
- Prohibit bullying and bullying behaviour while also teaching about the causes and
consequences of it;
- Create individualized approaches for each student and offer them choice and flexibility in
their learning and display of learning;
- Consider students’ individual circumstances when assessing, offering choice, being flexible,
and determining consequences (positive or negative);
- Help to improve the education system via professional development, supervising student
teachers, and participating in curriculum development and field testing of new curriculum;
- Have an open mind and accept all students, regardless of their gender identity, race, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, religion, etc.; and
- Prepare students for post-secondary education and/or the workforce.

Ethical Duties
Teachers have the ethical duty to have an open mind and accept all students; they may never
discriminate, especially on any of the grounds protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As such,
they should encourage students joining or creating organizations or clubs that embrace their individual
identities and foster a sense of belonging. On the other hand, they should prohibit any behaviours or
actions that are discriminatory, offensive, or harmful, such as bullying or bullying behaviour.

Other ethical duties involve giving as much notice as possible about any plans to terminate or
fundamentally alter their employment with their employer, even if law only requires a specific amount of
time (such as two weeks notice). This is for the sake of the students, both current and future, so that the
school has enough time to make arrangements for a new teacher and smooth the transition between
teachers and content.

Another ethical duty a teacher has is to never criticize a colleague, student, or community
member in poor/bad faith or through improper channels. For example, a teacher should never complain
about a student to a hairstylist, nor should they criticize the performance of a fellow teacher to students
or other teachers. They have the ethical responsibility to discuss any concerns with the person in questions
and, if not resolved, should take these concerns to the proper channels (such as administration).

Other Thoughts
Personally, I think that the responsibilities of teachers are plausible in the real world, but only to
a certain extent. All of these guiding documents place a lot of responsibility on teachers, and I am not
entirely sure that any teacher would be capable of meeting each and every one of them all of the time.

I was actually surprised to read that the Minister may approve instruction to be offered in English,
French, or any other language. Honestly, I do not think I have ever heard of a school in Alberta that offers
instruction in any language other than English or French. While there are individual classes, such as
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German or Spanish, I was not aware that instruction in other languages could be offered in non-language
courses. I am curious if the reason I have not heard of a school doing this is because one does not exist,
because there are not enough students that speak another language to attend such a school? Or if it is
simply because it was never relevant to me, and thus I had just simply never heard of it. I do recall there
being discussion of a school of a different religion opening up in Lethbridge, however it never came to be
(and I believe it was because there were not enough students wanting to enrol, or some other factor that
would have hindered the success of the students).

Another thing that surprised me was that a teacher could suspend a student for only one class
period, and that anything beyond that has to be done so by the principal. I am not entirely sure that I
thought a teacher would be allowed to suspend a student at all, but I am also not sure that I thought a
teacher couldn’t suspend a student for a full day or longer. I also was not aware that a suspension could
only be a maximum of five days, unless the principal has recommended that they be expelled and the
board is making a decision. I just assumed that students could, more or less, be suspended indefinitely. I
am now curious if a student could be suspended back-to-back for different reasons? For example, say a
student got into a fight and was suspended for five days. While suspended, the student went and got in a
fight with another student while on school grounds. Could they be suspended for an additional five days?
Or would they still return after the initial suspension?

Ultimately, I believe that the purpose of teaching is to promote a safe, inclusive, respectful
environment that supports diversity and student success academically and socially, while considering the
unique circumstances of each student and ensuring that the teaching is adaptable and flexible enough to
offer choice and accommodation to students. Furthermore, the role of teachers is to model appropriate
behaviour to students and to clearly articulate and communicate instruction, content, expectations, and
the progress of students through assessment.

Summary
If we gather up all of the information and considerations we have discussed so far, we may now
answer the final question: To what degree do ethical considerations guide the teaching profession in
Alberta?” Feel free to disagree with me and/or engage with discussion on me about your answer or
thoughts on this question, or anything else discussed throughout this paper.

I would say that ethical considerations guide the teaching profession in Alberta to a very high
degree. It appears that many of these documents prioritize the ethics behind all of their rules, regulations,
policies, and procedures, to the extent that the entire education system is more or less based on ethical
considerations.

As stated throughout the Education Act, all partners of the education system, especially teachers,
administration, the board, students, and parents, must promote and contribute to a welcoming, caring,
respectful, and safe learning environment that respect diversity and fosters a sense of belonging, respect
the rights of others. Thus, the Act is considering how the content, behaviours, and actions of all partners
impact one another and the learning environment of the students. It encourages everyone to be open-
minded, respect diversity, and accept one another. As such, I would say that the guiding documents of
education in Alberta are quite consequentialist and considerate of the ethics of care.

Imagine an education system where ethics, consequences, and relationships were not taken into
consideration. It would likely result in chaos, in the sense that people would do as they pleased, when
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they pleased, without regard to how it affects others. For example, people could bully other people and
not face any consequences. Students would not feel safe and school, and thus it would be difficult for
them to learn.

As per Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a pyramid outlining the needs of humans. Physiological
needs are the very most basic needs of all humans, and they include food, water, warmth, and rest.
Schools provide students with shelter (warmth) and water, and many schools have programs that offer
free food to students, such as breakfast or lunch programs. However, the next most basic need is safety.
Humans, after having their basic physiological needs met, must feel safe and secure. If they don’t, they
won’t be able to progress to meeting their next needs, which are belongingness and love. Thus, how could
a school every imagine to promote a learning environment that fosters a sense of belongingness if the
student does not feel safe at school? Even if the student does feel safe, it is imperative that the student is
able to form relationships and feel a sense of belonging. It is only after physiological, safety, and
relationship needs are met that people are able to meet their esteem needs. These needs involve pride,
dignity, independence, achievement, and more. If education did not consider the ethical implications of
all actions and behaviours from all partners, it is very unlikely that students would be able to reach their
esteem needs as they would be focused on their safety/security and relationship needs.

Additionally, the Code of Conduct is almost entirely about ethical obligations, such as not profiting
from goods or services as a result of their profession or not speaking poorly of students or colleagues to
others. Of course, these have ethical implications. If a teacher had his/her class do a bake sale but kept all
of the proceeds for himself/herself, that would be unethical and would have consequences, such as
students, parents, or other school staff not trusting that teacher. Or if a teacher speaks poorly about a
colleague, it results in either people not trusting that colleague and believing all that the teacher says, or
they lose respect for the teacher and are not sure if they can trust them and/or feel safe around them.

For example, imagine a situation where you are friends with Jane Doe. As you get to know Jane
Doe, you realize that she speaks poorly of her other friends all of the time. You may have believed what
she said at first, but now you start to wonder how true her words are. You also begin to wonder if Jane
Doe is speaking poorly of you to other people, as well. You start to worry about what she’s saying about
you, and you no longer want to be associated with Jane Doe.

Now, imagine that situation with a teacher. If Little Jimmy’s teacher is constantly criticizing other
students, Little Jimmy might worry that the teacher is also criticizing him behind his back, and he no longer
feels safe with that teacher.

The Code of Conduct, as well as the other documents, discuss the importance of fostering positive
relationships with all partners and community members, and this is done by considering the ethical
implications of all actions and behaviours. Thus, ethics of care are engrained into the guiding documents,
and they are constantly considering the consequences of actions. While it may appear non-
consequentialist at times, such as all children between the ages of 6 and 19 having the right to an
education (so long as they are a resident of Alberta and have a parent who is a resident of Canada), but
there are still exceptions for certain situations, such as boards approving of students under the age of 6
or over the age of 19. The same goes for the programs of study. While it is expected that teachers
competently provide instruction and content pursuant to the Act and programs of study, there are still
exceptions that can be made. For example, religious schools may be permitted to prohibit certain courses
or content.
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Ultimately, I would argue that non-consequentialist ethics may have been the starting point for
all of these guiding documents, but it is actually both consequentialist ethics and ethics of guide that truly
found and guide the documents, and they do so to a high extent.

References
McLeod, S. (March 2020). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Retrieved May 19, 2020 from

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Province of Alberta. (n.d.). Education Act. Retrieved from

https://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/e00p3.pdf
Province of Alberta. (n.d.). Teaching Quality Standard. Retrieved from

https://education.alberta.ca/media/3739620/standardsdoc-tqs-_fa-web-2018-01-17.pdf

The Alberta Teachers’ Association. (2018). Code of professional conduct. Retrieved from

https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/Teachers-as-
Professionals/IM-4E%20Code%20of%20Professional%20Conduct.pdf
ED4321 Sibbet, Kit

Self-Evaluation
Criteria Assignment clearly Assignment Assignment
reflects the standard generally reflects does not
the standard address
key aspects
of the
standard

Analysis of the Purpose of Education Rambles on at

times and
• A close examination of the relevant documents connections are
provides an accurate representation of the goal/
not always clear.
purpose of education.
• The articulation of the purpose of education is A close Ethical
clearly connected to the policy documents examination and implications are
(documents are quoted when appropriate). in-depth. clear but could
• Ethical implications of the goals/ purposes of have been
education are clearly and accurately explained.
explained further.

Should have been

more concise.

Analysis of the Teaching Profession

• A close examination of the relevant documents

provides an accurate representation of the roles Clearly states the
Could have
and responsibilities of the teaching profession. purpose, roles, and
explained the
• The articulation of the purpose of the teaching responsibilities of
ethics further.
profession is clearly connected to the policy teaching.
documents.
• Ethical implications of the goals/ purposes of
education are clearly and accurately explained.
Reasoned Ethical Judgment Clearly and
accurately More evidence
• The reasoned judgment clearly and accurately would have been
addresses the inquiry question. addresses the
inquiry question. useful.
• The reasoned judgment is based upon clear
criteria and evidence. Should have
Reasoned
• The reasoned judgment is deep and detailed considered other
judgment is based
providing strong arguments that speak to the interpretations
complexity of the issue. on clear criteria
and takes into more consistently
• The reasoned judgment takes into consideration throughout.
purpose, assumptions, implications, and consideration the
interpretations of the policy documents. purpose, Could have been
• The reasoned judgment follows logically from the assumptions, and stronger and more
analysis of the documents. implications of the compelling.
• The reasoned judgment is a strong and compelling documents.
perspective that considers divergent perspectives.

LETTER GRADE: B? B+?