Calgary student told to write exam at hotel in person — or receive a zero — despite pandemic closure

A Calgary father says he's angry with the Pembina Hills School Division after the division rented a conference room at a local hotel to hold in-person exams — despite public health orders closing K-12 schools across Alberta due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"What it looks like is, they've done something they're not supposed to do," said Adam Miller.

Miller's daughter, who is in Grade 12, takes most of her classes through the Calgary Board of Education but studies English 30 through Pembina, as it allows her to work at her own pace online.

In a letter sent by David Garbutt, superintendent of the school division, Miller was told his daughter will receive a zero if she chooses not to write the exams in person at the Aloft Calgary University near the University of Calgary during one of four days the exams are scheduled in June.

"I contacted [a public health inspector] and we agreed that it would be acceptable for the school division to rent a conference room," Garbutt writes in the letter.

Without English 30, Miller's daughter will be unable to graduate or move on to university.

CBC News has reached out to Garbutt and the school board for comment. Garbutt said he would not be able to comment on individual student situations. The school board has yet to respond.

AHS OK'ed exam but Alberta Education disagrees

In a statement, a spokesperson for Alberta Health Services said it had discussed holding in-person exams with the school division.

"[It was] deemed that if all physical distancing, indoor gathering, and cleaning guidelines were followed, an in-person exam could be conducted with minimal risk," the statement reads. 

"However, we defer to Alberta Education as to whether in-person exams can be conducted."

Colin Aitchison, a press secretary for the Education Minister, said Alberta Education will be reaching out to the school division to rectify the situation.

"These arrangements appear to violate Alberta Education's Continuity of Learning Plan. In-person classes remain cancelled, and students should not be expected to attend in-person examinations," Aitchison said in an emailed statement.

K-12 classes are prohibited

AHS' decision also appears to run contrary to guidance from Alberta's chief medical officer of health.

In an order dated May 14, Dr. Deena Hinshaw stated that classes or programs offered by K-12 schools are prohibited.

"A student may attend any class or program offered at any school, except a school that is [K-12]. An operator of a school [that is K-12] must ensure that the school is closed to the public," the order reads.

In an email to Miller, a spokesperson for AHS said while K-12 schools are under restrictions, small indoor gatherings are permitted in hotels. 

"If your daughter is not being asked to attend at an actual school, there is no action we can take," the spokesperson says, before encouraging him to resolve the issue with the school board and Alberta Education.

Miller said he finds that response "kind of dodgy."

"That'd be like saying if you can't get a haircut, but if I cut your hair in a hotel, it's OK?" he said.

According to the Alberta government's website, school authorities should offer at-home learning opportunities and all students who were on track to graduate should be able to do so.

The in-person exam isn't the only concern Miller has regarding the school division's response to COVID-19.

He shared an email from the school's principal with CBC News, which states that during at-home midterm exams, his daughter would have to grant remote access to her desktop and have her computer webcam turned on. 

"They wanted full unrestricted access to our computers, including desktop and keystrokes and camera and microphone. I have another child who needs a computer for school as well," he said.

In the email, the principal says if the student doesn't follow those directions, the school will not submit her final grade to Alberta Education or give her credit for the course.

"Uncomfortable is kind of a soft word … it makes us angry," Miller said.