Calgary students participated in a provincewide school walkout on Thursday in response to the resolution of the Alberta teachers’ strike. Alberta Students for Teachers, a group dedicated to coordinating walkouts at various high schools in the city, organized the event. Arya Mishra, a Grade 12 student at William Aberhart High School and one of the organizers, emphasized the importance of students voicing their opinions during the protest.
Following the provincial government’s introduction of back-to-work legislation for striking teachers on Monday, students returned to school on Wednesday. The legislation, known as Bill 2 or the Back to School Act, effectively ended the job action that had resulted in over 50,000 members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association going on strike more than three weeks ago.
The student protesters aimed to show solidarity with teachers by advocating for classroom caps and optional January diplomas. An online petition urging the optional status of January 2026 diploma exams in light of the strike has garnered over 27,000 signatures. Despite their efforts, Mishra expressed frustration that no changes had been implemented following the back-to-work legislation.
Vaishnavi Venkateshwaran, another Grade 12 student and organizer with Alberta Students for Teachers at Sir Winston Churchill High School, viewed the legislation as a violation of constitutional rights. She stressed the importance of standing up for rights and expressed the need for students to be informed and engaged in advocating for their beliefs.
Students across southern Alberta also joined the provincewide walkout, with gatherings in Canmore and Lethbridge. The protests aimed to highlight the significance of teachers’ rights to students in regions beyond major urban centers. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides acknowledged the students’ right to peaceful assembly and protest but emphasized the importance of maintaining regular attendance in classes to support uninterrupted learning. The Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District underscored the expectation for students to attend classes unless excused by a parent or guardian, stating that participating in protests would result in unexcused absences.