ALLISON McCAFFREY FOR VICE PRESIDENT - ATA PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
I am very proud to be a loud and vocal advocate for the teachers of Alberta.
From organizing and participating in four rallies for Education, facilitating roundtable discussions on the public's hopes and dreams for education, meeting with MLAs and opposition cabinet ministers to inform them of the classroom realities of teachers within and organizing an evening of discussion on Public Education and the Common Good with Margaret Atwood - I am proud to be a voice not just for Calgary teachers, nor for southern Alberta teachers, but ALL teachers across the province.
Some of the initiatives I have participated in or organized are showcased below.
Working with incredibly passionate and visionary local and provincial staff, Local 55, Local 38 and ATA Provincial were able to create a magical evening of conversation focused on Democracy, Public Education and the Common Good.
Ms. Atwood's spicy analysis of the recent US elections and her warnings on how to safeguard our own country's democarcy against imminent threats resonated with all 2000 in-person and almost 1000 livestream attendees.
Special thanks to Dr. Phil McRae for the idea to host this, President Stephani Clements and all the staff at our two locals and ATA Provincial. This was a night that no participant will soon forget.
Please read on if you would like to learn more about the inception of the #RedForEd movement that originally began in 2018 in the United States and has been adopted in Canada.
As an advocate for education, there is not a rally I don't enjoy attending and having my voice heard alongside my colleagues Over the years myself and the Local have organized and/or attended the #ProtectABKids Rally, the Ditch the Curriculum Rally, the Rally for Education in Calgary, the Provincial Stand for Education Rally in Edmonton and the Rally for Respect to support our CUPE brothers and sisters.
Looking forward to the time when we don't have to come together to make the government do what they should be doing!
As part of the provincial initiative to both engage with and understand better the public's hopes and dreams for public education, two round table events were organized by Local 55 and Local 38. We invited hundreds of local elected officials, advocates for public education, parents, teachers and concerned citizens to voice their vision for the future of public education. An enlightened evening for all involved.
Over the past 4 years I have continuously, as part of my position as Local President, and as a concerned citizen, met with countless MLAs to advocate for sound curriculum, lower class sizes, supports for our classes and to re-establish fully funded public education. We want our province to be the gold standard for what public education should be and can be, but sadly the current government chooses to fund education the least across the country. Only through regular discussioin and advocacy, can we chip away at these leaders and help to educate them so they can support the students of Alberta. It is a slow process, but regular monthly calls, letters and texts help to inform them of the true situation in the classrooms of Alberta.