Dear fellow petitioners, Another petitioner recently said, "I went to an info session last spring, hosted by Alberta Ed, and was appalled. My frustration is this...MOST parents have no idea what is going on and about to happen. I was one of two parents to attend the session from our town. I believe I am one of less than ten here locally to keep up with happenings." I refuse to believe that only 1400 parents in Alberta value our schools. I refuse to believe only 1400 value our teachers. I refuse to believe only 1400 value parental rights and choice. I refuse to believe only 1400 value knowledge, skills or “knowing something”. I refuse to believe only 1400 value having standards of practice in education. I refuse to believe only 1400 value books and our libraries. The media have discounted us, but I will not let our voice be defeated. I have, therefore, put together a PAPER PETITION. I can not be complacent and wait for people to come to us. We need to go to them. So, from High Level to Lethbridge, from Jasper to Lloydminster, from Edmonton to Calgary, if you are as committed as I am to protecting the quality of our children’s education, please email me at mrgranthd@yahoo.ca. I will send you a copy of our paper petition, and all I ask is for you to collect as many signatures from your circle of acquaintances as possible (church/school/hockey practices/work office/etc). No need to go door-to-door. I know how busy life can be, and so even just ten signatures each will be greatly appreciated. Pass on the petition to a friend to collect another ten, so on and so forth. If a thousand of us collected ten sigs each, by the end of March (?), then we will be 10,000 strong. I know it’s ambitious, but we have nothing to lose right now. Numbers do matter. I need the numbers to push the matter in the Legislature. During this time of fiscal constraints and with the looming election, we need to keep the pressure on and our voices heard to remind the gov’t where money should be better spent. Also please: 1. Write to minister Dirks and Premier Prentice, and even Deputy Minister Lorna Rosen or your local MLAs. I have posted some wonderful letters by our fellow petitioners on our Alberta Math petition facebook page. 2. CC your letters to the members of the Standing Policy Committee on Education. I believe they include the following people: Gordon Dirks, Education Minister Don Scott Doug Griffiths Christine Cusanelli Jason Luan Cathy Olesen Janice Sarich Pearl Calahasen Ron Casey George Rogers Genia Leskiw Wayne Cao Thomas Lukaszuk Bridget Pastoor Bruce McAllister 3. Hold Minister Dirks accountable on twitter and remind him that there is opposition to IE and that the most important stakeholders are our children. Remind him he has a position statement from the mathematicians. Will he follow through on expert advise? Thank you for being so passionate about this and for standing along side me on this. Kindest regards, Dr. Nhung Tran-Davies p.s. Here are the wordings on the petition: To the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, in Legislature Assembled: We, the undersigned residents of Alberta, petition the Legislative Assembly to urge the Government and the Ministry of Education: • To cease and reverse the implementation of the Inspiring Education policy framework to prevent harm to the academic ability and potential of our children and the children of Alberta; • To acknowledge the central importance of content and knowledge in academic curricula; • To create and promote curricula that ensures all students obtain the basic, foundational skills and knowledge to enable their full participation in society; • To promote a grading system built on clear, objective, quantifiable and consistent measures so that Albertans may receive a true picture of their education system and their children’s educational progress; and • To cease the devotion of scarce public funds to the implementation of experimental pedagogical theory and technology unless and until such theory and technology is demonstrated by scientifically rigorous research to be effective.