FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 7, 2025

Statement from Karla Bernard: It’s time to build an education system that works for students, families and educators

Charlottetown, PE – There is a growing and deeply concerning disconnect between educational policy and what is actually happening in practice in our province. Parents, teachers and students are telling us, clearly and repeatedly, that the current approach in Island schools is not working. And yet, we are consistently told by government officials that all the necessary supports are in place – full stop.

Government’s response leaves little room for the lived experience of students and educators. If a student is telling us it’s not working and we claim to be a child-centred system, then their voices must guide what we do. Educators have been backing this up for years. They see the system failing a growing number of their students. Not only do teachers feel powerless as they watch their students struggle, they have experienced violence and abuse as a direct outcome of system failure.

I choose to believe teachers and students who spend day in and day out in the schools. If Minister Croucher and Premier Lantz prefer to blindly push forward contrary talking points, then they are complicit in the failure of our system and our students.

The Island’s public education system recently completed a long-overdue review of its inclusive education model, a model rooted in the 1990s belief that every child can, and should learn in a standard classroom environment. But the review confirmed what so many have been saying for years: expecting every child to be successful within the narrow confines of a classroom is not only unrealistic, it’s failing far too many. And instead of seeing leadership on this issue, instead of seeing steps toward meaningful reform, government’s response is largely one of resistance and defensiveness.

We are at a critical moment when it comes to our education system. If ever there was a time to show in good faith that this government is committed to working together with students, families, and educators to build something better, it is now.

Alternative education settings have already proven to be incredibly successful. When high-needs students are placed in environments that are more flexible, more responsive, and less pressured than traditional classrooms they thrive – they are more engaged, they learn more effectively, and they gain confidence. At the same time, classroom teachers are better able to focus on students who do well in that environment, improving outcomes across the board.

I believe fully that students with complex needs have a right to an education, a real one, that they can access in a meaningful way. They deserve improved supports to ensure this right is realized. I am calling on the Minister of Education to work with the Child and Youth Advocate and to use the authority available to him to implement alternatives and reforms with the urgency that students deserve.

The future of education on PEI depends on our willingness to listen, to adapt, and to act. Our children are telling us what they need. We must have the courage to build an education system that reflects that.

Karla Bernard
MLA Charlottetown-Victoria Park
Third Party Critic for Education

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Katie Rankin
Chief of Staff
Office of the Third Party
Tel: (902) 213-6378
Email: kerankin@assembly.pe.ca