The news that Alberta’s teachers have gone on strike brings mixed emotions for me. On one hand, I respect teachers. Many of them are in the profession for the right reasons. They genuinely want to teach and have a talent for reaching our kids. On the other hand, I can’t help but shake my head at how quickly this turned into another union showdown, where parents and students are the ones caught in the middle.I don’t dismiss the concerns that teachers raise. Large classrooms, rising expectations, and more complex student needs aren’t easy. Most of us wouldn’t last a week in their shoes. But we also can’t ignore the reality that every demand has a price tag. Alberta is not immune from fiscal limits, and governments have to live within budgets just like households and businesses. I have little sympathy for unions that believe endless debt or tax hikes are a solution. They aren’t..OLDCORN: The public square is for everyone — not just the ‘tolerant’ Left.There’s a distinction we need to make here. Teachers, as professionals, deserve respect and a fair deal. But their union leadership too often takes the fight well beyond what’s reasonable, spinning every negotiation into a battle about ideology rather than education. The rhetoric ramps up, and soon enough it isn’t about the classroom anymore; it’s about power.That’s where my sympathy ends. Teachers shouldn’t be forced into strike votes that pit them against parents and students, and governments shouldn’t be pressured into signing deals they can’t afford just to avoid bad press. Somewhere in the middle is the common-sense balance that should guide us..I don’t envy any government sitting across the table in these negotiations. Alberta families are already stretched by the cost of living. The province has obligations across healthcare, infrastructure, and social supports, all of them competing for the same tax dollars. Balancing that while facing union pressure isn’t easy. Frankly, I’d rather see a government draw a hard line on affordability than cave to unrealistic demands that saddle the next generation with debt.This is where the budgeting lessons we should be teaching our kids come into play. I’ve written before about the need for a practical curriculum in financial literacy, health, and career planning. Well, here’s a live example: you can’t spend more than you take in without consequences. That lesson should apply to governments as much as it does to households..EDITORIAL: Don’t hold parents hostage: Alberta teachers shouldn’t be striking.Parents are frustrated, and rightfully so. They see curriculum debates over social issues instead of life skills. They see unions threatening walkouts while their kids fall behind. Many are choosing homeschooling or charter schools because they want more say and more stability in their children’s education. That’s a wake-up call the education establishment can’t afford to ignore..At the same time, we need to value the people standing in front of the classroom every day. Good teachers are critical, and I know many who feel as let down by their union as they do by the government. They just want to teach and not be pawns in a bigger fight.So yes, I support teachers but not the union machinery that too often hijacks their voice. And yes, I have sympathy for a government trying to balance a budget in the face of competing demands. The real losers in all this, as always, are the kids..BAROOTES: Alberta deserves a voice, not a checkbox: Trudeau’s token Senate appointment fails the test.Maybe the silver lining is this: parents are more awake to what’s happening in education than ever before. They’re asking tougher questions about curriculum, about budgets, and about who really speaks for their children’s best interests. That’s where change begins. And that’s where it needs to begin again.
