“Resistance to colonialism is not terrorism.” This quote was shown to more than 5000 Winnipeg School Division (WSD) staff last week at a professional development session that Dr. Chris Emdin from Teachers College, Columbia University delivered. Not...
Michael Zwaagstra
Michael Zwaagstra is a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre and public high school teacher. He received his Bachelor of Education and Master of Education from the University of Manitoba and Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University in Virginia. He is the author of A Sage on the Stage: Common Sense Reflections on Teaching and Learning, and co-author of What’s Wrong with Our Schools and How We Can Fix Them. He is a frequent author of education policy research and newspaper columns across Canada. His research mainly focuses on curricula, teaching instruction and public education. Michael’s research and commentary have been featured in radio, television and newspapers across the country. Michael lives with his wife and children in Steinbach, Manitoba.
Research by Michael Zwaagstra
Diversity of Thought Among Teachers is a Good Thing
Visit the website of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) and you might think that all teachers are left-wing ideologues. The reality, however, is quite different. There is, in fact, plenty of diversity of thought among teachers despite the one-sided political message...
Schools Should Educate Rather Than Indoctrinate
Students across Canada are now back in classrooms. As the new school year gets underway, let’s encourage schools to focus on what matters most teaching and learning. No doubt there is room for improvement. According to results from the Programme for International...
Provincial Cell Phone Ban Makes Sense
The Manitoba government is banning cell phones in schools. Starting next month, K-8 students will not be allowed to use cell phones at all during school hours. High school students may use phones during breaks and lunch hour, but not during class time. This...
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Canadian Property Rights Index 2023
A Snapshot of Property Rights Protection in Canada After 10 years
Alberta Politics and Empty Promises of Health-care Solutions
The writ has been dropped and Albertans are off to the polls on May 29. That leaves just four weeks for political leaders and voters to sort out what is arguably the most divisive, yet significant, issue for this election - health care. On Day 2, NDP leader Rachel...
Education Labour Disputes Should Not Be Resolved by Strikes
They finally have a deal. After two years of negotiating, the Manitoba Teachers’ Society and the Manitoba School Boards Association reached a tentative agreement last month. If the agreement is ratified by teachers, this will be their first provincewide collective...
Micromanaging School Boards is the Wrong Approach
Remember Bill 64? Introduced in 2021 by the former Progressive Conservative government, Bill 64 proposed to abolish locally elected school boards. The NDP led the charge against this bill. Current education minister Nello Altomare, then serving as his party’s...
Groupthink on School Boards is Not Inclusive
The recent by-election in the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) attracted a lot of media attention, much more than usual. That’s because this was the seat vacated last November by former Ward 1 trustee Francine Champagne. To say that her short tenure was controversial...
School Boards Must Stop Hiding Behind Their Communications Officers
Earlier this month, a social media post from the Waterloo Regional District School Board (WRDSB) about the inclusion of Indigenous content in its English curriculum ended with the following line: “This post was created with the assistance of #AI, but is made better by...
Limiting Student Suspensions Could Lead to Unintended Consequences
Education Minister Nello Altomare wants to reduce the number of students being suspended from school. To achieve this goal, his department released a new policy directive that urges school administrators to use alternative measures when dealing with student...
Focusing On the Classroom Is Always a Good Idea
All students deserve a high-quality education, regardless of where they live or what background they have. If we accept this principle, we must invest in the things that have the biggest impact on achievement. This means that school boards should focus on improving...
Manitoba is Fortunate to Not Have Teacher Strikes
Saskatchewan students are not having a good school year. Teachers in that province are currently engaged in rotating strikes and there is a real possibility of a full teachers’ strike in the near future. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation wants class size and...
Schools Cannot Function Without Trust
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s parental rights announcement has surely generated a lot of debate. Not only will Alberta require schools to obtain parental consent before changing the names or pronouns of students under the age of 16, but teachers will also have to...
School Trustee Suspensions Happening Far Too Often
It was just a few short years ago that the Pallister government introduced Bill 64. Among other things, Bill 64 would have abolished school boards and replaced elected trustees with provincial appointees. The reaction was fast and furious. The Manitoba School Board...