I have been writing about Alberta's deteriorating situation for nearly a decade. This insight has allowed me to isolate myself from changes I knew were coming and realities i knew would soon be here and I hope those from Alberta that were reading my blog were able to act similarly.
However, you can't isolate yourself from everything. Items like insurance premiums, attacks on health care, and the complete lack of effort regarding the safety of our children returning to school is unavoidable. Maddening even.
I've been seeing a lot of chatter on Twitter of people convinced that the fuckwad UCP government's lack of effort regarding return to school is a deliberate, calculated attempt to defund education and push private schools and/or home schooling.
Now, it is totally true that their lack of concern or empathy is definitely making a lot of parents consider home school. There is no doubt there. But despite this fact I do not think that is the direct intention of their lack of effort. Or the direct purpose. Allow me to explain why.Am I a conspiracy theorist OR does the lack of #COVID19AB preparations in schools mean more parents choosing to homeschool which means fewer students to budget for, which will allow the UCP to justify huge budget cuts to schools for the 2021-2022 school year? #ableg #abed— Britt (@brrittannyh) July 22, 2020
There is a major flaw in the theory which I think is getting lost among those that have far reaching platforms: home school or private school isn't feasible for the vast majority of people. Myself, my ex, and her husband all work good jobs and share parenting responsibility and even for us though homeschool is a consideration it is extremely logistically difficult. Did I mention I work from home too? It doesn't matter, I'm on conference calls alot of the day, my job despite me being at home simply doesn't allow to divert attention.
We are in a better position than most.
In fact I believe that COVID-19, or no COVID-19, the UCP would be relaunching schools almost identically. I think they would have found another reason to lay off the EAs (my kid's school is down to 2, from 12, and the 2 remaining can only be accessed by special needs kids).
An extension of this theory is that COVID-19 has been used by the fuckwad UCP to accelerate their agenda. I don't agree, if anything I believe that COVID has significantly hampered the fuckwad UCP's agenda. For example: Would there be as much opposition and outrage to the UCP's school re-opening under current funding with no COVID? I doubt it. The rage is driven by the concern of the safety of the children, and this is a concern the UCP is trying very hard via their numerous PR outlets to alleviate.
The UCP doesn't want COVID on your minds, the UCP wants us back to "near normal" because so long as we are all in pandemic mode their actions are blatantly obviously corrupt and not in the service of Albertans. It's been a spotlight on their government, with daily updates, and special measures. With the lack of sports and activities everyone's attention is on what the UCP is doing.
A push for homeschooling now, so early in their term, will be a constant reminder of the pandemic. That is not "near normal".
There is a much simpler explanation: the UCP simply does not care. They have no desire to govern and find this whole pandemic thing quite annoying. They have made virtually no changes to the school relaunch, to be frank if they wanted to encourage home schooling they would place restrictions and simply not provide the funding. Class sizes of 15? Well I guess if you can't find a spot in a school you're homeschooling eh?
Now I am aware that the UCP does want "choice in education", I'm not saying they don't, what I am saying is.. this isn't it. This isn't the grand plan to make it happen. Any side-effect that works towards that goal is simply a convenient side-effect.
Much like Trump's push to get the pandemic behind the US, Kenney is pushing hard to get the pandemic behind us, its extremely difficult for him to move forward with his plan to redirect our public dollars to funding the risk of the companies leaving Alberta when the people are constantly demanding the government spend more to help protect them. Or you know, do the stuff governments are actually supposed to do. Not run war rooms on behalf of the industry and provide taxpayer backed loans to their buddies.
It also doesn't help their case trying to keep people in Alberta. They're walking a fine line and its important people stay here to pay for the liabilities he is offloading. They're already pushing a number of investment schemes like trying to create the Alberta Pension Plan, and trying to make it so Invest Alberta can use "financial tools" (read: stock market gambling) to manage their money.
The UCP is well aware what they are doing to people's pocket books, keeping a child home to school in good times is hard and today incredibly unfeasible. Creating an education market dependent on home school does not make sense, nor align with what I see as their objectives in using public money for private risk. They're obsessive with their propaganda attempting to convince you everything is fine. That is what they are trying to promote.
Stay in Alberta! We know the steak is cold but it's wrapped in plastic...
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Richard Fantin is a self-taught software developer who has mostly throughout his career focused on financial applications and high frequency trading. He currently works for CenturyLink
Nazayh Zanidean is a Project Coordinator for a mid-sized construction contractor in Calgary, Alberta. He enjoys writing as a hobby on topics that include foreign policy, international human rights, security and systemic media bias.
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