Education Policy
Laws, regulations, and governance decisions that shape the daily realities of students, families, and educators. This tag includes critical analysis of ministry directives, district implementation practices, funding structures, and systemic accountability mechanisms. It also traces the dissonance between policy ideals—such as inclusion, safety, and equity—and the actual experiences of those navigating the system, particularly disabled and neurodivergent students and their caregivers.
Inclusion BC is an excellent reference—particularly for a neurodiversity-affirming, disability justice–aligned perspective on education policy in British Columbia. Their work foregrounds the rights of disabled students and families, and they consistently critique systemic ableism, segregation, and policy failures in public education. They also engage directly with provincial ministries, making them both a watchdog and a thought leader.
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Calling the exclusion line
Every morning, when we dial the school’s sick line, we enact a ritual that ought to acknowledge more than a fever or a stomach ache. In theory, this system exists to safeguard children who cannot attend school due to illness. In practice, it masks the institutional harms that shape our decisions, erasing critical context from…
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How classroom values become ableist barriers
There is no such thing as a neutral rule. Every expectation reflects a theory of the child: what is normal, what is ideal, what is possible. And in most classrooms, these theories are wrong. I was given a list of behavioural values from my child’s class—Division 3. It included items like: stay in the group,…
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What policy says about collective punishment in schools
Collective punishment is never explicitly mentioned in the School Act or BC education policies, but it is made very clear that the system is meant to be fair, accountable, and respectful. The School act states the discipline in schools must be “similar to that of a kind, firm and judicious parent” (Section 76(3)). I consider…
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Discipline under review amid rising classroom aggression
A recent Alberta Teachers’ Association survey revealed surging aggressive student behaviour. Teachers report resorting to permanent group sanctions—like “silent lunches” or school-wide lockouts—as quick disciplinary fixesmontreal.citynews.ca+10yahoo.com+10reddit.com+10. Meanwhile, provincial cuts to Educational Assistant (EA) roles—funded through Jordan’s Principle—are worsening the problem. CUPE Alberta has warned that the loss of EAs may force schools to resort even…
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Why collective punishment doesn’t work, based on scientific evidence
When we challenge collective punishment, defenders often fall back on one refrain: it works. They say it fosters accountability, motivates group norms, and deters misbehaviour. They claim it teaches responsibility. But what if these assumptions are not only unjust, but false? A peer-reviewed study published in Scientific Reports dismantles this defence. Titled Measuring the efficacy of…