Calgary Classical Academy (CCA) founder Caylan Ford said the party’s re-election “means the government will continue to champion choice in education for another four years.” .“This is an enormous relief to the thousands of families enrolled in charter schools,” said Ford in a Wednesday tweet. .Whether children know it or not, Ford said they “dodged a bullet here: the NDP had vowed to roll back curriculum improvements focused on phonics, mastery of math facts and algorithms, and a knowledge-rich approach to history.”.Ford called on the Alberta UCP to continue to support school choice, especially access to capital and facilities to address enrolment demand. She said it should continue to develop and implement knowledge-rich, evidence-based curriculums. .The former UCP candidate went on to say it should reduce red tape and improve labour mobility for teachers from peer countries. There should be alternate, expedited pathways to teacher certification for subject matter experts and skilled tradespeople. .While a UCP win is great, Ford said more work needs to be done. Her main problem she wants it to address is education faculties having a monopoly on teacher training and certification. .“Most are failing abysmally, emphasizing critical theory over classroom management, effective pedagogy, assessment, content knowledge,” she said. .“Meanwhile, people with PhDs and years of teaching experience in peer jurisdictions cannot obtain permanent teacher certification — not unless they also complete a two-year B.Ed degree that will teach them to interrogate their ‘positionality’ and engage in ‘critical reconstructive practice.’” .Ford launched the CCA in September, which is taking education in a new direction by being Canada’s first ever non-denominational classical education charter school. .READ MORE: Calgary Classical Academy offers different approach to education.“The classical movement has been growing in the United States, and we’re really the first of our kind in Canada,” said CCA principal Colleen Parks. .Classical education involves students studying classic works of literature, philosophy, history, and art. This curriculum is done through the trivium progression, moving through the stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. .The UCP called out some NDP candidates on May 18 who advocated for ending the Catholic school system. .READ MORE: Alberta UCP denounces NDP candidates for wanting to eliminate Catholic schools.“United Conservatives believe that parents have the right to choose the education their children receive,” said UCP MLAs Rebecca Schulz (Calgary-Shaw), Adriana LaGrange (Red Deer-North), and Dan Williams (Peace River). .“In 2020, we enshrined that choice in law while the NDP opposed it at every step.”
