Teachers, students and community members swarmed McDougall Centre in a sea of red on World Teachers’ Day to rally for public education and support for educators.
Cheers echoed through downtown as protesters waved signs in the air, prompting police to close part of 4 Ave S.W. due to the large number of protesters spilling onto the sidewalks surrounding the centre courtyard.
High school student Evan Li addressed the crowd following the controversial moment when his mic was cut at the Alberta Next panel stop in Calgary last week.
“The administration of our schools work tirelessly to provide for students, and our wonderful teachers continue to be role models in our lives. The problem is simple, there are not enough resources in Alberta’s schools, and this is definitely recognized by any student, any parent who was sitting in a school last week. At schools across the city of Calgary, class sizes rarely dip below 35 students, and some of my peers are in classes with up to 50 or 60,” Li said.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) is urging teachers, students, and supporters to attend rallies and continue fighting for public education while classrooms remain closed.
“This strike goes beyond pay. This is about the state of public education in Alberta. Teachers need sustainable solutions. We refuse to be back in the same fight for our public education system five or ten years from now,” the ATA said in a media statement.
