EDMONTON — An Alberta bill tabled Tuesday aims to make sweeping changes to teacher conduct and education priority rules, including a new mandate for teachers to discuss all issues in a balanced and neutral way.
The government says schools must be free from politics and ideology.
The bill would see new rules for flags in schools, set priorities for school boards and require the national anthem be played at least once per week.
There would be code of conduct principles for school trustees to protect freedom of speech.
At the same time, the bill introduces a rule for school boards to refrain from issuing statements on political, social or ideological issues that fall outside of education matters.
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said parents expect schools to be places of learning that are open to all sorts of viewpoints.
“Our focus is simple: student safety, academic excellence, and preparing young Albertans for success,” Nicolaides said in a statement.
“These changes strengthen accountability, reinforce neutrality and respect, and make it clear that politics and ideology have no place in Alberta classrooms.”
While the province want teachers leave their beliefs at the door, it’s looking to encourage students to share their views in the classroom.
Briefing materials shared by the province say changes to the provincial Education Act would ensure “students can express diverse views” and require teachers to support them in doing so.
Government officials told reporters before the bill was introduced that it’s expected teachers don’t favour one viewpoint over another and when discussing current events they should rely on known information rather than their own beliefs.
The proposed legislation wouldn’t create new penalties for teachers, and any infractions or complaints would be handled through the existing disciplinary process.
Officials said it would be up to school boards to define some of the key terms, including neutrality and ideology.
The government is also looking to change the definition of what kind of learning environment is expected in schools.
The province said stakeholders had raised concerns with the current definition, stated in the briefing document as “welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments that respect diversity and nurture a sense of belonging and a positive sense of self.”
The bill proposes a new definition: schools must be “a safe and caring environment that fosters and maintains respectful and responsible behaviours.”
If passed, the bill would also require public and Catholic school boards to get approval from Nicolaides to name or rename schools.
And the bill would give an exemption to a 2024 provincial law that requires ministerial approval for teaching materials brought in by a third party, if they deal primarily with gender and sexual identity and sexual orientation. Materials used for religious instructions wouldn’t need approval, the government said.
The government said many of the changes, including those about flags and school names, would require new regulations be developed later this year in time for the next school year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2026.
Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
