In a move critics are calling “classroom management with a sledgehammer,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced Friday that her government will table back-to-work legislation for teachers on October 27th if a deal isn’t reached. The premier described the measure as “a helpful reminder to educators about deadlines,” adding that “extensions are for lazy students.”
Negotiations with the teachers’ union have stalled over wages, workload, and the province’s insistence that “discipline builds character.” Smith said she “respects teachers deeply” but couldn’t resist noting that “they wouldn’t let kids skip class, so why should they?”
Union representatives called the move “anti-educational,” warning that forced returns could lead to widespread demoralization. The government responded by promising “extra homework on morale.”
Political analysts say the showdown could define Smith’s relationship with Alberta’s public sector – or at least give everyone a crash course in authoritarian civics.
