Parents' group defends public funding for Alberta private schools

The head of an Alberta advocacy group for parents is defending the public funding of private schools as a way to save taxpayers money.

"It is a false narrative to claim that independent education removes dollars from the public system," said Donna Trimble, executive director of Parents for Choice in Education, pointing to a study commissioned by her group. "It actually saves dollars from the public system."

Trimble spoke out after an Edmonton-area Christian school board's refusal to implement LGBTQ government guidelines promptedcallsfrom critics to pull funding and review the allocation of provincial dollarstoAlbertaprivate schools.

Private schoolsreceive 70 per cent of the operational funding ofpublic schools

But Trimble said the argument is false that it costs the province more to fund private schools.

She said Alberta private schoolsreceive approximately $5,150-per-studentannually, less than half of the $10,900 a year provided to public school students.

It would cost the province more forevery one of the existing 29,400 private school students if theyreturned to the public school system, she said.

Trimble said the private school system savesAlberta on average $750million overfive years.

Trimblealso defended the right of Alberta school boards not to implement LGBTQ guidelines laid out by the province.

On Thursday, Education Minister David Eggenvowed to'aggressively pursue' schools that don'tfollow theLGBTQguidelines recommendingschoolsallow students to use the washroom and play on sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

'Not legally binding'

But Trimble said the guidelines are "not legally binding", as stated in a letter fromEggenwhich she provided to CBC News.

"These guidelines were created as a resource to be used by educators as they work to accommodate their students and are not legally binding,"Eggenwroteto parent andbloggerTheresa Ng onMarch 15, 2016.

Eggen was responding to Ng's open letter on Facebook in which she agreedsomething must be done to protect LGBTQ students and their families, butcriticizedthe guidelines for failing toreflect the diverse needs and perspectives of all Albertans.

andrea.huncar@cbc.ca

@andreahuncar