By Sheldon Spackman

School board name

Red Deer Public Schools writing Education Minister to retain legal name

Oct 12, 2019 | 11:34 AM

Red Deer, AB – The Red Deer Public Schools Board of Trustees will be writing Education Minister Adriana LaGrange in their bid to keep the word “Public” in their legal name.

The Public School Boards Association of Alberta (PSBAA) has asked all 41 school districts in the province to write LaGrange regarding the issue.

Board Chair Nicole Buchanan says Red Deer Public will be sending their letter to LaGrange in the next few days.

“I know that some other school boards have passed motions and are also supporting sending a letter to the Minister, even some school boards that did not have ‘Public’ in their name are supporting the letter that was sent out by PSBAA,” says Buchanan. “It’s extremely important. Red Deer Public identifies as a public school district, we welcome every single student. Being public is part of our identity just as much as Catholic is to the separate school system.”

Buchanan says trustees have also approved revisions to Board Policy #1 – the district’s foundational statements.

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“As part of the revision, the Board took a stronger stance on public school education to include that we believe public school education is unique, valuable and distinct, and that our schools belong to and benefit our entire community,” she explains. “Our schools are inclusive and universally acceptable, welcoming and celebrate the uniqueness and diversity of every student. We play a vitally important role for the long term well-being of our society.”

A Ministerial Order issued by LaGrange on Aug. 15 called for the word “Public” to be removed from the legal names of eight Alberta school divisions, including Red Deer Public Schools, by Sept. 30.

LaGrange said the move was made in order to standardize school division names across the province.