Google Maps The Calgary Catholic School District head office is pictured. A new petition is calling for a referendum on Alberta's public school systems.

A new petition is calling for a referendum on Alberta public schools, arguing that its Catholic school system is "obsolete, unnecessary, (and) expensive."

It says the province has two fully funded school systems: "a public and inclusive system for almost everyone and a separate and exclusive system for Roman Catholics."

The posed referendum question reads: "Do you support a single fully funded school system in which all children, regardless of their parents' religious affiliation, can be educated together in an inclusive atmosphere that is respectful of diversity and in which religious education and observances are permitted subject to law?"

'All kinds of ways' money could be better spent

The petition is part of the IDEA: Inclusive Diverse Education for All campaign, started by former Alberta education minister David King.

"It's objectionable to me that there's an education institution that will accept some students as a matter of right, and (the other will) accept students at its sole discretion," King told HuffPost Canada in an interview.

King said that having two school systems fragments communities and wastes resources, especially older ones that are struggling to keep schools from two different boards from closing.

We need more classroom teachers, we need more specialized counsellors, we need more teacher-librarians, there are all kinds of ways in which we could better use that money.David King, former Alberta education minister

"Wouldn't it be smarter to close one of those schools, put the students in with the students of the other school, which is now more fully utilized, relieve the stress on the community, achieve these economies of scale, (and) put the money into better programming, more staff, more resources for the education of the kids?"

He said Alberta spends $60-million annually on separate school administration, which could be spent on students.

"We need more classroom teachers, we need more specialized counsellors, we need more teacher-librarians, there are all kinds of ways in which we could better use that money," King said.