Caring for our environment is a shared responsibility

The concerns raised about litter around École Secondaire Foothills Composite High School are valid. No one wants to see public spaces treated carelessly, and the impact on the community—including taxpayers—is real. Clean, respectful shared spaces depend on all of us. Where the May 10, 2026, letter published in the Western Wheel falls short, however, is in assigning responsibility too narrowly and overlooking the broader reality of how behaviour is shaped and managed.

First, this is not simply a “school problem.” It is a community issue. Students are members of families and the wider public long before and after they are students at any given school. The habits that lead to littering—respect for property, accountability, and civic responsibility—are developed over years through parenting, community norms, and personal choices. Schools can reinforce these values, but they cannot replace them, nor can they control student behaviour once students leave school grounds or supervision.

The suggestion that “the school is not present” overlooks both the limits and the efforts of educational institutions. Schools operate within defined hours, staffing levels, and professional boundaries. Schools are not enforcement agencies, nor can staff monitor every off-campus interaction. That said, many schools—including Foothills Composite—actively work to address community issues like litter through education, supervision during school hours, and collaboration with municipalities. In the last 3 years at ÉSFCHS | AHSFA, investments have been made to specifically address littering in the area, including collaboration with the Town of Okotoks’s Municipal Enforcement team,  the installation of additional collection bins in the main parking lot, garbage pick-up initiatives led by the school’s student leadership group and students with parking passes, and increased management of parking lot use during school days. Even though these efforts are not always publicized, they reflect an ongoing commitment to caring for the community. The principal’s response that they are “working on it” reflects an ongoing process, not neglect.

It is also important to consider the implication of painting all students and staff with the same brush. Most FSD students contribute positively to their school and community. Similarly, educators and school leaders are deeply invested in fostering responsible citizenship. To suggest otherwise undermines their efforts and unfairly shifts blame onto an entire institution.

As litter is a community issue, it is also important to recognize the proximity of the strip malls that and the community members who access their services, the winds that scatter loose refuse and topple residential garbage bins, and the role the school’s fences play as a collection net in this larger context.

Finally, the letter itself highlights an important truth: we do not control the behaviour of others. Even in a time when discipline may have looked different, compliance was never absolute. Today, expectations for how adults interact with youth have rightly evolved, but the fundamental reality remains—individuals make choices. Accountability must therefore be shared among students, families, schools, and the broader community.

If we want to see meaningful change, the solution is not to point blame or single out one group, but to work collectively. That could include reinforcing expectations at home, supporting schools in their efforts, increasing community awareness, and exploring practical measures like signage, waste facilities, or coordinated clean-up initiatives, including the Community Clean Up and Tree Planting event that took place on May 9. Responsibility is not diminished when shared—it is strengthened.

In the end, this is less about assigning blame and more about building a culture of respect and shared responsibility. That is something no single institution can achieve alone, because strong communities are built collectively.

Chris Fuzessy
 Superintendent of Schools
 Foothills School Division