The union representing Alberta teachers says it has turned down a request from the government to end a provincewide strike on Monday and go through enhanced mediation.
It comes on the same day the province announced high school students preparing to take diploma exams next month will have the option to skip them.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said the mediation request came in a letter Thursday and the proposal left him and the union feeling “insulted.”
He said he would expect the mediation process to be biased, since the province said it’s not willing to discuss caps on classroom sizes.
“This limitation undermines any attempt at resolution,” Schilling said Friday.
The caps are a main sticking point in the contract dispute, alongside wages, and Schilling said teachers aren’t willing to back down.
He said the union, which represents 51,000 teachers, responded to the letter and is waiting on a response.
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Schilling didn’t rule out the possibility of ending the strike if the province moves on the terms of mediation.
“If they want to send a letter back and try … to improve the process, then we will look at what it is and then respond,” he said.
Premier Danielle Smith and her education minister were set to hold a news conference later Friday.
The strike, which began Oct. 6, has kept about 740,000 students out of 2,500 schools.
The two sides met Tuesday for the first time since the walkout, but formal talks haven’t resumed.
Diploma exams optional
On Friday, the province also announced diploma exams scheduled to take place in November will now be optional for students.
Students who wish to write a diploma exam may request to do so, and their school boards will accommodate the request.
The optional exams apply to all schools provincewide. The exams will still take place on the currently scheduled dates.
Choosing not to write the November diploma exams will not affect a student’s ability to apply to, be accepted by, or attend post-secondary institutions after graduation.
Students who choose not to write the November diplomas can still complete their courses and graduate on time. Their final grade will be based entirely on the school-awarded mark provided by their teacher.
No changes have been made to the January and June diplomas and provincial achievement tests, the government said.
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