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Poll suggests most Albertans want to stop funding private schools

Dan McGarvey | CBC News | Posted: April 19, 2017 10:00 PM | Last Updated: April 19, 2017

Results show 65% of Albertans support redirecting that money into public system

Image | Duncan Kinney

Caption: Duncan Kinney, the executive director of Progress Alberta, says millions directed to private schools could be spent on reducing public school fees. (Dan McGarvey/CBC)

There's widespread support for phasing out public funding for private schools, according to a new poll released Wednesday by Environics.
The results were made public at an event in Calgary held by a coalition of organizations, including:
  • Alberta Teachers' Association.
  • Calgary and District Labour Council.
  • Public School Boards Association of Alberta.
  • CUPE 520.
  • Progress Alberta.
"We subsidize our private schools more than every other province in the country," said Duncan Kinney, the executive director of Progress Alberta.

Image | Duncan Kinney

Caption: Duncan Kinney, the executive director of Progress Alberta, says parents paying $10,000 or even $20,000 a year for children to attend an elite private school would likely still keep their kids in private school, regardless of a public taxpayer subsidy. (Dan McGarvey/CBC)

"We have 15 elite private schools in Calgary collectively soak up more than $30 million annually in public subsidies," Kinney said.
The poll shows close to six in 10 Albertans think the government provides too much operational funding to private schools and that 65 per cent somewhat support or strongly support reallocating funds back into public schools.
It also found 87 per cent of Albertans agree that schools receiving government funding should be required to be inclusive, accepting all students, regardless of cultural, social, religious or economic background.

Image | Mark Ramsankar

Caption: Mark Ramsankar, president of the Alberta Teacher's Association, says diverting money to private schools puts pressure on an already struggling public system. (Dan McGarvey/CBC)

"If it's going to be a private school with a targeted focus and parents would like to send their children there, that should be their focus. The use of public funds puts undue pressure on the rest of the public system where we're trying to meet the needs of all children," said Mark Ramsankar, president of the Alberta Teacher's Association.
The poll was part of regular tracking surveys conducted for the Alberta Teachers' Association.
The findings come from a telephone survey of 805 adult Albertans interviewed in March. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points, 19 times out 20.

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