When it comes to the burden they’re increasingly being asked to bear, Alberta teachers have some legitimate gripes.

Alberta’s population is surging faster than we can build new schools, leaving classrooms even more crowded. Teachers are now also having to implement a new curriculum, and starting this fall they will take on extra responsibility when it comes to policing the use of cellphones and electronics in the classroom.

So it’s understandable that they might bristle at something else being dumped onto their plates. But at the same time, that doesn’t automatically mean that every new demand from the Alberta government is unreasonable.

Specifically, when it comes to Alberta’s proposed new elementary school testing requirements, concerns raised by the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) shouldn’t deter us from deploying what could be a useful tool. If the ATA is worried that kids are falling through the cracks and need more support, then we should embrace some objective and comprehensive........

© Calgary Herald