A seat at the table: Pushing back on discord and division

When you think of a school, a college or a university, you probably don’t think of it as a place where a political score needs to be settled or where kids become targets or collateral damage. We hope that schools or post-secondary institutions are places where the next generation of leaders are educated, and where progress is championed.

Unfortunately, Alberta’s schools seem to have been dragged into a fight that they didn’t ask for and are being scrutinized in a way that makes you question if you are in a Lewis Carroll novel. Reality and doing the right thing seem to be up for discussion.

LGBTQ2S+ youth have become scapegoats for politically ambitious folks who are more interested in holding onto power and taking us back to the 1950s—where folks from marginalized communities were perhaps seen, but not heard from.

Right-wing populism is on the rise globally and Alberta is feeling the impact of that as well. Schools and educational institutions, unfortunately, are becoming a target of an ideology that promotes discord and division.

You can’t sit with us

The policies might be new, but the playbook isn’t.

In November 2023, the United Conservative Party (UCP) introduced a series of resolutions at their annual general meeting that look like a wish list of things the party hoped to turn into policy as part of its war on “wokism”. The things they went after first will impact trans and non-binary youth.

A new policy will require youth under the age of 16 to have parental consent before changing their names or pronouns in school. In the name of “parental rights,” Premier Danielle Smith has also signaled her intention to introduce policies restricting youth access to gender-affirming health care, banning transgender participation in female sports, and mandating parental consent or notification on sex education.

This deliberately puts a vulnerable group of students in the crosshairs of right-wing populists.

In addition to reinforcing a dangerous narrative, this looming legislation serves as a distraction from what is actually happening in schools: cuts to teaching staff and class sizes that are bulging at the seams. In a June 2024 media release the Alberta Teachers’ Association highlighted the pressures that 24 Alberta school divisions will be facing.

Cruel intentions

The “parental rights” microscope trained on school related issues is just the beginning of what is to come.

While there’s no indication at this point that the provincial government intends to move on all of the resolutions from the UCP convention, some Albertans fear that there is an interest in targeting anti-racist educational programming.

The trial balloon dates back to October 2022, when the UCP held what would be their first annual general meeting under Danielle Smith’s leadership. A resolution drafted by the UCP Edmonton West-Henday riding association called for a halt in “the practice of any student being taught that by reason of their ethnic heritage they are privileged, they are inherently racist or they bear historic guilt due to said ethnic heritage or that all of society is a racist system. Further any differential treatment practiced by any educator due to said ethnic heritage will be halted. Instruction of these concepts will not take place whether it is advanced under the title of so called critical race theory, intersectionality, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion or some other name.”

Putting such a resolution into action could have negative ramifications. In addition to prioritizing the discomfort of a privileged group, stopping schools from running anti-racist programming isolates or marginalizes students from Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) backgrounds, potentially exposing a generation of youth to unnecessary harm and violence.

Conquering and dividing is a tactic from that tired playbook that oppressive, right-wing forces tend to use, like a bully on a playground looking for a target. At risk? Trans kids, folks that can be labeled “outsiders” because they are newcomers to Canada, or those that can be marked with the broad brush of “not like us” because they come from BIPOC communities.

We’re already seeing such narratives ramp up around immigrants.

Earlier this fall, Premier Smith attributed Alberta’s housing challenges to newcomers to Canada, saying that “The Trudeau government’s unrestrained open border policies, permitting well over a million newcomers each year, is causing significant challenges.”

This is an example of “otherism”, suggesting that members of a vulnerable group are a burden or intruders is not just a dog whistle but a siren song, laying blame at the feet of “certain” new Albertans.

Words matter and can create division.

Distract, divide, and conquer

Oppressive practices are rooted in power and privilege: the instinct and desire of those who have traditionally occupied positions of authority is often to hold onto them, in spite of (or maybe because of) an increasingly diverse society. This feeds the pushback against anti-racism and equity initiatives in schools and other public institutions, and the silencing of those who advocate for these initiatives—especially in classrooms.

It’s a useful strategy to distract the public from failing health care policies, the implications of pulling Albertans out of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and budget cuts to school divisions all over the province.

Fear is, unfortunately, a powerful motivator. Stoking fear and discomfort about the Queer and Trans community, about immigrants, and about people who simply fall into the category of “not like ordinary Albertans”, is a divide and conquer technique. It has broader implications.

When they see us

Democratic principles and civil rights don’t disappear overnight. The provincial government’s penchant to target or marginalize those who don’t agree with them isn’t just disturbing—it comes at a price.

The good news is: that the fight is not over. Many Albertans and many people in other provinces who are watching what is happening in Alberta correctly see this as a case study, and see the importance of fighting back.

“1 Million Voices for Inclusion” presented an antidote to the second annual anti-LGBTQ2S demonstrations, offering support to anyone who might feel vulnerable in this current climate. Other organizations and allies of LGBTQ2S+ students came out to show their support.

Representation matters. By showing up and peacefully protesting, allies are creating space to help protect this vulnerable group of students and to let them know that it’s ok to show up as their whole selves—and that their communities and society is better for that.

When it might seem like things are hopeless, we have to remember that “if your voice held no power, they wouldn’t try to silence you.”