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The
Future We Want - achieving equity for students and staff
In
the past, many people who believe in diversity, social justice and
valuing the worth and dignity of all people have quietly been working
to pave the way for the Peel District School Board – students,
staff and community - to take a journey. The journey is toward the
future we want - a welcoming future that is symbolized by fairness,
respect and inclusiveness.
The Peel District School
Board is one of Canada's largest public school boards and it continues
to grow as communities in Peel Region expand. The diversity that
is represented by our students, staff and community is extensive.
Where others are struggling to redefine what equity means, Peel
board has set itself on a clear course.
In May 1996,
board staff began to formalize the efforts of all the people who
supported various equity initiatives. The result of this considerable
work was the creation of two resource documents – Manifesting
Encouraging and Respectful Environments (MERE) and The
Future We Want: building an inclusive curriculum (TFWW).
In 2000/2001, the board incorporated the achievement of equity for
students and staff as one of its seven system planning goals for
student success. All of this work is now captured as The Future
We Want.
All Peel
board stakeholders are strongly encouraged to commence the journey
that will help us examine our presence in order to shape our future.
Use MERE to identify and understand some of the 'isms'
and inequities facing us today. Use TFWW and other resources
as the tools that will help us achieve the future we want. Use this
website - The Future We Want - to stay informed, to share ideas
and celebrate the work and achievements of our community.
In our commitment
to equity, we need to go beyond words to ensure
that it is an active part of our polices, practices and an intrinsic
aspect of our culture. Remember the words of Alice Walker from the
Temple of My Familiar (1989) – "Keep in mind always
the present you are constructing. It should be the future you want."
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Manifesting
Encouraging and Respectful Environments*
As a matter
of public policy, Ontario recognizes the inherent dignity and worth
of every person and provides for equal rights and opportunities
without discrimination. This policy has been codified in the Ontario
Human Rights Code (the "Code"), special legislation
designed to create a climate of understanding and mutual respect
so that each person feels a part of the community and able to contribute
to its development and to that of the province.
Building
the Code's underlying principles and the Peel board's respect for
the dignity and inherent worth of all students, staff, parents and
community members, the 'isms' initiative promotes the idea of respectful
school and work environments that encourage growth and learning.
Creating equitable classroom and school environments involves ongoing
efforts; it can be likened to a journey. The task does not end,
but requires continual advocacy and responsiveness to the ever-changing
face of diversity.
Encouraging,
respectful environments become manifested in outcomes that: 1) value
the inherent dignity and worth of each student, staff, parent, and
community member; and 2) validate and respect the endless potential
of diverse experiences, bodies of knowledge and histories. This
document simply offers an introduction to developing and maintaining
such environments. It should be viewed as a living document that
itself requires continuous development. The seven 'isms' discussed
in this document provide the starting point for the journey.
Please note
that the selection of 'isms' included in this document does not
represent a prioritization of some oppressions over others. The
Peel board believes there is no hierarchy of human rights. As the
Diversity Initiative Work Team had no mandate to create an all-inclusive
document, it focussed on the needs identified by schools as most
pressing. The lack of attention to some groups that are protected
from discrimination by the Code should not be interpreted as a statement
about their worth and value as members of the broader Peel board
community. Consistent with the values expressed by the Code and
the Peel board's commitment to developing equitable and respectful
school and work environments, groups not explicitly discussed in
this document are nevertheless included in its spirit. In fact,
as part of their progress on "the journey" towards and
equitable and respectful school and work environment, readers will
hopefully develop additional resource materials – that include
the diverse perspectives and histories of persons not explicitly
mentioned here.
Key
Concepts
It
was not until I was almost full grown and left my village that
I found our village was like no other. For the men live in SQUARE
houses, and the women, in ROUND ones! To me, this seemed
the natural order of things….[emphasis added]
(Grifalconi, 1986, p.1).
What is
the underlying thread common to all 'isms'? Power. The ability to
exert control and influence. Those who have power define what constitutes
"the natural order of things" and what is considered "normal",
thus determining relationships of dominance and subordination. We
learn these relationships and can therefore "unlearn"
them. But first we must recognize and acknowledge them.
"Psychologists
once believed that only bigoted people used stereotypes. Now the
study of unconscious bias is revealing the unsettling truth: We
all use stereotypes, all the time, without knowing it.
We have met the enemy of equality, and the enemy is us…"
[emphasis added] (Paul, 1998, p.52).
Shaped by
the culture around us, we develop biases and stereotypes without
even noticing. Through close examination, the 'isms' project highlights
the biases that influence both classroom and overall school environments.
It then suggests ways to alter these environments, making children's
school experience inclusive and respectful of the diversity they
represent.
We not
only mirror the ambivalence we see in society, but also mirror
it in precisely the same way. Our society talks out loud about
justice, equality, and egalitarianism, and most…accept these
values as their own. At the same time, such equality exists only
as an ideal, and that fact is not lost on our unconscious…We
learn the subtext of our culture's messages early. By five years
of age, many children have definite and entrenched stereotypes
about blacks, women, and other social groups….Children don't
have a choice about accepting or rejecting these conceptions,
since they're acquired well before they have the cognitive abilities
or experiences to form their own beliefs…no matter how progressive
the parents, they must compete with all the forces that would
promote and perpetuate these stereotypes: peer pressure, mass
media, the actual balance of power in society…We create
stereotypes to explain why things are they way they are…Stereotypes
don't have to be true to serve a purpose (Paul, p.55).
People who
hold power, i.e., those from dominant groups, learn that they represent
the "norm". These individuals then form assumptions about
the world and about the centrality of their vantage point, because
they have the power to construct and control whole "bodies
of knowledge". Those in the dominant group learn positive messages
about themselves, although they often do not realize it. When this
happens, they learn to internalize their own dominance, under the
guise of normality. Internalized dominance is marked by its invisibility
to those who have it. Those with power assume that everyone shares
their reality and operate as if their perspective were universal.
As a matter of fact, everyone – whether dominant group members
or not – learns and absorbs positive messages about dominant
group people (Sawyer, 19 , p.1).
On the flip
side of dominance stands "subordination" or "oppression".
On this side, mirroring the positive messages we all learn about
those in the dominant group, our society teaches us (everyone) negative
messages about those without power – people in "target
groups". "We all hear, from childhood on, these negative
messages and stereotypes about target groups; we cannot help but
absorb them, even though we may also learn intellectually that they
are not true. Not surprisingly, if we are in a target or oppressed
group, we soak in negative messages about ourselves" (Sawyer,
p.1).
'Isms' seldom
arise in isolation. They usually carry close connections with other
issues of subordination/oppression. In examining our own (often
unconscious) values, assumptions, and methods of operating to recognize
where they may, even unintentionally, exclude other groups of people,
we must understand that:
- although different types of oppressions
may have different origins, whole systems operate to keep people
powerless
- members of target groups experience each form
of subordination/oppression differently
- there is no hierarchy of oppressions – all
are connected
- a victim of one oppression may be a perpetrator
of another oppression
- working to overcome any one oppression is legitimate,
but ultimately we must challenge they system(s) that maintain
all oppressions (Toronto Board of Education, 1990).
In creating
equitable and respectful classrooms, we must recognize the world
view being presented and address the hidden notions of dominance
and subordination embedded in the curriculum. Once able to critically
analyse the exclusionary relationships of dominance and subordination
within the curriculum, we can begin the journey of shifting the
paradigm to be more inclusive. This results in the manifestation
of encouraging and respectful environments for all students, staff
and community members.
*Source
- Peel District School Board, (2000). Manifesting Encouraging and
Respectful Environments. Mississauga, ON: Peel District School Board
(ISBN 1550381520)
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The
Future We Want: building an inclusive curriculum* (excerpt)
Although
ostensibly directed to classroom teachers, The Future We Want: building
an inclusive curriculum can be used by all manner of educators –
teachers, administrators, support staff, parents and members of
the community. It supports those who recognize the importance of
social justice issues in a society made up of many diverse groups
by: 1) encouraging and assisting those who wish to adopt an inclusive
approach in their curricular program; and 2) affirming the practice
of those who have already done so. This document should help move
us towards a world where everyone feels included, valued, and empowered
- a world where equity is a reality and more than just a word, a
world where our students will realize all that we envision for them.
For
students to learn at their optimum, they must feel included. Our
students need classrooms and schools committed to an intellectually
engaging curriculum, delivered in an emotionally safe environment.
All students must feel valued and able to take the risks that will
help them become responsible and socially active individuals. Our
curriculum* must proceed from an unbiased, inclusive perspective
that respects diversity and embraces a social justice approach to
all forms of discrimination and oppression.
School
should be a place where students and teachers feel secure and cared
for, and where all forms of diversity are accepted and respected.
Students need safe space, language, and opportunities to talk about
their lives, struggles and visions. Teachers must ensure that their
classroom programs and practices respect their students' many differences;
they must find a valued place for those differences in the daily
curriculum. This resource offers a guide to creating and working
with an inclusive curriculum – a philosophical and practical
approach to learning that recognizes and values the rich diversity
of our classrooms and our society as a whole.
*Curriculum includes
textbooks and storybooks; pictures displayed; classroom seating
plans; group work; posters; music; announcements; prayers and
readings; languages spoken in the school; food served in the
cafeteria; visitors invited to the classrooms; reception offered
to parents in the office; racial makeup of the office staff,
the custodial staff, teachers, and administration, displays
of student work; makeup of school teams; sports played; clubs;
school logo or emblem; field trips; assignments and projects;
facial expressions and body language; clothes worn, …in
short, the whole environment (Allingham, 1992, p.20).
Building
on principles of social justice, as this guide suggests, will help
students see the importance of equity for their futures in our society.
Students will understand that their classrooms represent a microcosm
of their world, their communities, their families, and that the
learning taking place there has genuine meaning on a broader scale.
When
educators are prepared to change their pedagogy to promote an inclusive
curriculum because they recognize the diversity of society reflected
in the classrooms, they give their students the education to which
they are entitled. In her book, The Temple of My Familiar,
Alice Walker aptly summarizes the motivation behind this document:
"Keep in mind always the present you are constructing. It should
be the future you want."
Rationale
Discrimination
hurts; it devalues people and inhibits their learning. It is also
a fact of life for many of our students, and one which we, as educators,
must acknowledge and work to correct. We have been trained to help
students attain academic success, but not necessarily in a way that
includes their diversity. The Peel District School Board believes
its schools should offer a safe and supportive environment in which
students can learn and in which their beliefs, ideas and range of
experiences are valued.
As
part of its commitment to excellence in education and to equitable
educational outcomes for all students, the board confirms and upholds
the principles enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
and the Ontario Human Rights Code. It is committed to removing institutional
barriers, eliminating both systemic and individual forms of harassment
and discrimination, and ensuring that the needs of all students
and staff are addressed. The board acknowledges that students and
staff need to understand, respect and appreciate the spectrum of
diversity in our society and reject discriminatory attitudes and
behaviours.
At
the Peel board, we have set high expectations for ourselves. But
we have set them with the realization that we must face, and must
help our students face, a world that is not always fair. Meeting
the expectations we have set for ourselves involves confronting
discrimination on both a personal and an institutional level. Having
acknowledged discrimination and its consequences, we must undertake
to reduce it through an examination of ourselves, our curriculum,
instructional methods, and assessment practices. It is an introspective
task, the difficulty of which has led author Sandra Parks to point
out that:
Learning to face [discrimination] and to talk about it transformatively
with others requires compassion toward oneself and others and
sufficient intellectual character to not abandon the effort as
it becomes distressing (Parks, 1999, p.18).
Ours
is an interdependent, "people-help-people" world. An inclusive
curriculum will help students understand that all peoples and cultures
are part of a larger, interconnected global community. This view
is reflected in the Ontario Curriculum document Choices Into
Action: Guidance and Career Education Program Policy for Ontario
Elementary and Secondary Schools:
Students will learn to demonstrate self-discipline, take responsibility
for their own behaviour, acquire the knowledge and skills required
for getting along with others both within and beyond the school,
and choose ways of interacting positively with others in a variety
of situations. They will also learn about thoughtful and non-violent
problem resolution, social responsibility, working cooperatively
with others, and caring about others (Ontario Ministry of Education
and Training, 1999, p.7).
This
view is further expanded upon in the Social Studies, grades 1 to
6, History and Geography, grades 7 and 8 curriculum document:
Students need to develop the attitudes or habits of mind that
are considered essential for the development of responsible citizenship
in a complex society characterized by rapid technological, economic,
political, and social change. These include positive attitudes
about learning; respect, tolerance, and understanding with regard
to individuals, groups, and cultures in the global community;
respect and responsibility for the environment; and an understanding
and appreciation for the rights, privileges, and responsibilities
of citizenship. [p.7]
And
again in Ontario secondary schools, grades 9 to 12, in the section
entitled Anti-Discrimination Education:
…When planning their programs, teachers will base their
decisions on the needs of students, taking into consideration
their students' abilities, backgrounds, interests, and learning
styles. Learning activities should be designed to help students
develop respect for human rights and dignity, and to develop a
sense of personal, social, and civic responsibility. These activities
should reflect diverse points of view and experiences, and should
enable students to learn about the contributions of a variety
of peoples, in the past and the present, to the development of
Canada. Students should be encouraged to think critically about
aspects of their own and their peers' backgrounds, and to become
more sensitive to the experiences and perceptions of others. [p.
5-9]
An
inclusive curriculum supports the Peel board's stated commitment
to providing a supportive and secure environment – one that
changes to meet the needs of students, respects differences, and
provides opportunities for all students to succeed. An inclusive
curriculum is an essential component of any School Success program
and is necessary to address the needs of the community and students.
To
support School Success and continuous improvement, administrators
and teachers must evaluate the level of inclusiveness in their programs
and student assessments. An inclusive curriculum can help focus
school priorities, contribute to effective planning and meaningful
communication with students, parents and communities, and foster
a school climate of cooperation, student involvement, student recognition
and positive student behaviour. The Future We Want: building an
inclusive curriculum outlines a process for doing just that.
Key
Concepts
The
Future We Want takes its fundamental principles for developing inclusive
curriculum from James A. Banks' Multicultural Education: Historical
Development, Dimensions, and Practice.
Banks
outlines for approaches to curriculum reform (contributions, additive,
transformation, and social action), and details five dimensions
of that reform (content integration, knowledge construction, prejudice
reduction, equity pedagogy, and empowering school culture). His
model focuses primarily on racial and ethnic minority groups, but
we have redefined the: "approaches" and "dimensions"
below to include all diverse groups and to explain their application
in this document. Please note that in actual teaching situations,
the four approaches and the five dimensions are often combined and
used together.
APPROACHES
TO AN INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM
Contributions
Adding diverse hero/ines to the curriculum, selected using
criteria similar to those used to select mainstream hero/ines
for the curriculum.
Additive
Adding a variety of content, concepts, themes, and perspectives
to the curriculum without changing its basic structure.
Transformation
Changing the actual structure of the curriculum to help students
to view concepts, issues, events, and themes from the perspectives
of diverse groups.
Social
Action
Allowing students to make decisions on important social issues
and take actions to help solve them. |
The
four approaches work as four levels on a continuum. For example,
the "contributions" approach offers a starting point,
but can also be sued as a way of moving on to other more intellectually
challenging approaches, such as the "transformation" and
the "social action" approaches. As Banks explains, we
should develop a curriculum which goes beyond hero/ines and holidays
to one that is transformative and teaches decision-making and social
action skills.
Similarly,
the development of an inclusive curriculum can begin with the dimensions
of "content integration", though it should not stop there.
The dimension of "knowledge construction" is essential
to an inclusive curriculum, as is an "empowering school culture"
if students and teachers are to achieve a social action approach.
DIMENSIONS
OF AN INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM
Content Integration
Using examples, data and information from a variety of groups
to illustrate key concepts, principles, generalizations, and
theories in particular subject areas or disciplines.
Knowledge Construction
Understanding how people create knowledge and how implicit
cultural assumptions, frames of reference, perspectives, and
biases influence the ways that knowledge is constructed within
a discipline.
Prejudice Reduction
Using characteristics of prejudicial attitudes and strategies
to help individuals develop more democratic attitudes and
values.
Equity Pedagogy
Using techniques and methods that facilitate the academic
achievement of students from diverse groups.
Empowering
School Culture
Restructuring the culture and organization of the school so
that students from diverse groups will experience educational
equity and societal empowerment. |
The
Future We Want is predicated on the firm
conviction that all teachers at all grade levels and in all subjects
can, over time, incorporate a social action approach in their teaching
practice, and can develop and inclusive curriculum that relies on
the five dimensions described above.
Peel
District School Board (2000) The Future We Want: building an inclusive
curriculum. Mississauga, ON: Peel District School Board. (ISBN 1550381539)
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The
'Isms'
Most
people would agree that racism and sexism are wrong - and
they
are. Yet they are just two of many 'isms', as we call them -
stereotypes
and biases that we might hold regarding one group or
another.
Everything
we do at the Peel District School Board is designed to
help
students learn and do well in school. The board aims to offer
respectful
school and work environments that encourage growth
and
learning. To improve student success and achievement, we
must
ensure that students continue to feel welcomed, respected,
safe,
and included.
Peel
Board has produced two documents, Manifesting Encouraging
and Respectful Environments and The Future We Want: building
inclusive
curriculum, which have provided the foundation for creating
inclusive
school and work environments. So…what do the 'isms'
mean?
And what can we – as individuals, as a school board, and as
a
society – do to stop perpetuating some negative and harmful
stereotypes
and biases?
There
are many forms of oppressions or 'isms' but the Peel board
has
chosen seven as the focus for TFWW. It is important to note
that
the selection of 'isms' does not represent a prioritization of
some
oppressions over others. The board believes there is no
hierarchy
of human rights and recognizes that all forms of oppression
are interconnected.
Here
is an overview of seven of the key 'isms' – ableism, ageism,
classism,
faith as an 'ism', heterosexism, racism, and sexism – what
they
are, and why they are such important issues to the board.
Understanding
the seven 'isms' provides us with a starting point for
our
journey towards equity.
The
isms are:
Related
Issue Papers
A series
of issue papers have been developed on each of the seven 'isms'.
An introduction
to the series introduces the papers and provides
background
on their development.
Related issue
papers and summaries are available on each of the 'ism'
links. These
papers explore why the particular 'ism' poses an issue within
the Peel
board, any relevant recent social and legal developments, significant
days to
be acknowledged or honoured with respect to the specific 'ism' and
other sources
of information.
Intersectionality,
the interconnectedness among the 'isms' and the danger
of ignoring
the relationships either at the individual or systemic level,
is also
explored
in a full
discussion paper and summary.
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What's
New
The
Triangle – an online conference for GLBTQ Peel students
"The
Triangle" conference, is a way to reach out to some of our
most vulnerable students and provide a safe, supportive, and supervised
online forum for gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered students
to interact electronically with their peers. It will provide students
with an opportunity to discuss their experiences and concerns and,
as warranted, receive advice and assistance from the moderators.
If
you are interested in becoming a moderator and are sensitive to
and understand the issues affecting GLBT youth, have an understanding
of the board's equity goals, policies and Human Rights Code, are
able to communicate via an electronic forum and are committed to
social justice, please contact, Mary Samuel by e-mail at mary.samuel@peelsb.com.
TFWW Video Study Guide – Challenging Myths and Stereotypes
In
2001, the Peel board produced a video to support the implementation
of The Future We Want and the board's goal to achieve equity for
students and staff. "The Future We Want Video Study Guide –
Challenging Myths and Stereotypes " complements this video.
The guide is designed to support and assist teachers in using the
video with elementary and secondary students to:
-
support the implementation of TFWW
- enhance
the ability of students to talk about and explore ableism, ageism,
classism, faith as an ism, heterosexism, racism, and sexism (the
isms) and why this is an issue for our schools
- strengthen
the understanding of and effectiveness of school practices, programs
and rules to create a safe, welcoming inclusive and respectful
environment
- encourage
students to take a leadership role around TFWW and creating a
safe, welcoming inclusive and respectful environment
The
guide will be available Fall 2003.
The Future We Want Isms Poster
This
poster highlights the seven 'isms', which are the challenges to
creating The Future We Want. The poster carries the key message,
"I Belong, You Belong, We Belong" to encourage us to think
beyond ableism, ageism, classism, faith as an 'ism', heterosexism,
racism, and sexism.
Posters
will be available Fall 2003.
TFWW
Evaluation
TFWW
foundation documents were introduced in 2000. Achieving equity for
students and staff has been part of our system goals since the 2000/01.
Many people have been working on the implementation of TFWW since
2001 and this fall we will assess the extent and impact of the implementation
of TFWW.
Workshops/Conferences
Teaching
for Diversity and Social Justice Part 1
A
four part series intended to support elementary and secondary school
teams (administrators and teachers) in their use of Manifesting
Encouraging and Respectful Environments and the Future We Want:
building an inclusive curriculum to implement TFWW. Participants
will be provided with practical strategies and resources that will
enable them to address the curricular needs of their school community.
Teaching
for Diversity and Social Justice Part 2
This
workshop series (6 sessions) is based on an action research model.
Participants will learn to incorporate the theories of James Banks
and other inclusive assessment methods and instructional strategies
in their classroom program and practice. This series is open to
participants who have completed Part One or its equivalent.
We're
Erasing Prejudice for Good
The
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has published
a kit called "We're Erasing Prejudice For Good". It is
a literature-based comprehensive anti-bias curriculum document,
which contains integrated lessons consistent with Ontario's K-8
curriculum. The Erasing kit is a good starting point for schools
as they begin working toward The Future We Want. The workshops are
aimed at a school team consisting of an administrator, teacher-librarian
and classroom teacher(s). School teams attending the workshop will
receive a kit for their schools. Additional kits may be obtained
through EFTO. Picture books to support the kit are sold separately.
For
workshop details, watch for flyers, Broadcast and e-circular announcements.
For
more information on these courses or to register online, visit learningopportunities.peelschools.org.
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Resources
to support the implementation of TFWW
PRINT
RESOURCES
The
Future We Want Kit
The
Future We Want Kit (2003) contains all the key support documents
that have been developed or used by the Board to support the implementation
of The Future We Want. The development of the Kit was a collaborative
effort of The Future We Want Issues Team, Communications and Strategic
Partnerships Support Services, and Staff Development and Student
Support Services. Contents include:
-
Manifesting and Encouraging Respectful Environments
-
The Future We Want: building an inclusive curriculum
-
The Future We Want video and discussion guide
-
The Future We Want resource guide
-
A series of issue papers on the 'isms'
- The
board's Human Rights Policy #51
-
Ontario Human Rights Commission Policy on Creed Observances
- Peel
board system goals
- Additional
resources (including the 2003 multicultural calendar and the multifaith
information manual, 4th ed.)
Each
Peel school has a copy of the kit. Contact your principal for more
details.
Bibliography of Diversity Material
J.A.
Turner Professional Library
J.
A. Turner Professional Library staff have been improving and increasing
the selection of professional resources that support professional
development in the areas of equity, social justice and inclusive
curriculum. Peruse the list
of diversity materials available and check out a book. Also,
check out the wide selection of picture books that may be used as
classroom resources or as professional development tools.
Bookstores
in and around Toronto also supply inclusive literature and resources.
DISCUSSION
GROUPS
Teaching
for Diversity and Social Justice Discussion Group
Ask
questions, share strategies and access resources to develop a more
inclusive curriculum. Discussion focuses on strategies to challenge
our thinking about equity issues, expand our commitment and understanding
of how the 'isms' impact on learning and teacher practice.
To
register for the discussion group you must be a Peel board staff
member. Go to board’s intranet Broadcast page, click on “Personal”
on left menu. Then click on “Edit Profile”. Scroll down
to “Open Discussion Group” and click on "TFDSJ".
Scroll back to top tool bar menu and click on “Save Updates”.
To
enter a discussion, go to the board’s intranet Broadcast page,
click on “Discussions” on left menu, click on "TFDSJ",
and click on “Using this app” for a tutorial.
ONLINE RESOURCES
The
Future We Want is just a starting point on issues of social justice
and creating welcoming, safe, respectful and inclusive environments.
Here are a few web-based resources to help you learn more:
General
- The
Peel board launched Go Beyond Words (www.gobeyondwords.org)
as part its Human Rights Campaign in February 2002. The site helps
to improve communications around human rights issues and to create
a forum for dialogue.
Together,
we share the duty to prevent and eliminate discrimination and
harassment and it must be demonstrated by our actions every day.
By learning more about human rights, we can go beyond words and
help achieve our goal to create equity for students and staff.
Visit the site to see the Human Rights policy, download free screensavers
and e-Postcards, suggest a quote or share how you have helped
your school or department to go beyond words.
- The
Ontario Human Rights Commission web site (www.ohrc.on.ca)
has a wealth of information on human rights in Ontario and offers
policy papers, discussion papers, legal developments touching
upon all of the grounds of discrimination covered under the Ontario
Human Rights Code. You can also check out Teaching about Human
Rights in Ontario Schools.
- Visit
www.e-laws.gov.on.ca
to learn more about the Ontario Human Rights Code and other laws
and statutes
- The
Social Planning Council of Peel is an independent,
non-profit organization that promotes social justice by facilitating
citizen participation in the identification of social issues and
in the planning and implementation of collaborative actions. Papers,
studies and statistics on various areas including disability,
race, gender, and class are available at www.spcpeel.com.
- Statistics
Canada's
Teachers' Kit provides classroom friendly material and activities
using 2001 census statistics, which reflect the diversity of Canadian
society. Visit www.statcan.ca
for more information on the kit.
- The
Lester B. Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Nova
Scotia does all the training of UN peacekeeping troops. There
are only two training centres in the world – the other is
in Norway. They have intern programs available for students interested
in peacekeeping initiatives and have partnered with Nova Scotia
schools to develop peer mediation programs as a result of racist
incidents - www.cdnpeacekeeping.ns.ca
Ableism
- Ontarians
with Disabilities Act Committee is a grassroots group
lobbying provincial government for stronger legislation - www.odacommittee.net
- ARCH
is a legal resource centre for persons with disabilities. To learn
more, visit www.arch-online.org
- Accessibility
Ontario, a division of the Ministry of Citizenship, provides
access to information for organizations including cities and towns,
hospitals, school boards, colleges and universities that have
obligations under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 as
well as for people with disabilities who want to participate in
making Ontario more accessible, and for those in the private sector
who want to make their workplaces and facilities accessible to
people with disabilities – www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/accessibility
Ageism
- The
Ontario Seniors' Secretariat, a division of the
Ministry of Citizenship, influences and supports policy development
across all government activities on behalf of Ontario's 1.5 million
seniors. The secretariat identifies issues and trends, through
research data, demographic projections and regular dialogue with
key seniors' groups. It also challenges government and society
to be sensitive to the issues and needs posed by a rapidly aging
population – www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/seniors
- UNICEF
was created by the United Nations General Assembly (www.un.org)
in 1946 to help children after World War II in Europe. In 1953,
UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations, its task
being to help children living in poverty in developing countries
and it helps children get the care and stimulation they need in
the early years of life and encourages families to educate girls
as well as boys. It strives to reduce childhood death and illness
and to protect children in the midst of war and natural disaster.
UNICEF supports young people, wherever they are, in making informed
decisions about their own lives, and strives to build a world
in which all children live in dignity and security – www.unicef.org
- United
Nations Associations in Canada has all kinds of links
to youth initiatives on their web site - www.unac.org
Classism
- Canadian
Council on Social Development
is a non-profit group that promotes social programs that serve
children, families and communities and provides details on poverty
in Canada - www.ccsd.ca
- The
Daily Bread Food Bank is dedicated to eliminating
hunger in and around Toronto by feeding hungry people. Visit their
web site to get informed and to get involved – www.dailybread.ca
Heterosexism
- Positive
Space Coalition of Peel (905-791-7800 ext. 7414) is a
new organization combining: Positive Space Peel Community Collective
and The Coalition for Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Youth in Peel.
It attempts to make Peel a safe, accepting and inclusive community
for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and transgendered residents
- www.positivespacepeel.org
- PFLAG
Canada is a national organization that provides support,
education and resources on issues of sexual orientation and gender
identity for: PFLAG Chapters and Contacts; lesbian, gay, bisexual,
trans (transgendered and transsexual), two-spirited, and questioning
(LGBTTQ) persons, and their families and friends; diverse cultures
and societies; and the community at large. YOu can reach the Brampton/Mississauga
chapter at 905-457-4570 - www.pflag.ca
Racism
- In
1988, the Government of Canada and the National Association of
Japanese Canadians signed the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, the federal government also
promised to create a Canadian Race Relations Foundation,
which was proclaimed into law on October 28, 1996, and the Foundation
officially opened its doors in November 1997. The Foundation aims
to help bring about a more harmonious Canada that acknowledges
its racist past, recognizes the pervasiveness of racism today,
and is committed to creating a future in which all Canadians are
treated equitably and fairly – www.crr.ca
Sexism
- Ontario
Women's Directorate (OWD), a division of the Ministry
of Citizenship, provides focus for government action on issues
of concern to women - in particular, social, economic and justice-related
issues. It has two key areas of activity: preventing violence
against women and promoting women's economic independence - www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/owd
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