Support equity and inclusion initiatives in Waterloo Region Schools

For nearly two years, the Waterloo Region District School Board has been under relentless attack by opponents of equity and inclusion initiatives. These attacks are primarily directed against initiatives related to creating safe and inclusive spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. The tactics used by some opponents of inclusion initiatives include harassment, intimidation, and threats against school board staff and leadership who are implementing these initiatives, including the openly Queer Director of Education.

Inclusion initiatives are a critical component of academic success that create a safe environment in which students can focus on their studies. Goals around equity and inclusion are set by the Ministry of Education, and are implemented by local school boards, so it's important to let both the Ministry know that we support policies related to equity and inclusion, and to support our local educational staff who carry out those policies.

We need to make sure that our elected representatives understand that this small yet vocal group of anti-Queer activists do not speak for the Waterloo Region community. We've provided a sample letter with some ideas that you can use, but we strongly recommend customizing it to reflect your own perspective and experiences.

To: (14 recipients)

Subject
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We encourage you to edit this message with a story from your personal life. Why does this issue matter to you?

I’m writing to you today to express my support for the Ministry of Education’s work and focus on equity and inclusion for all Ontario students. As a community member, I would like to share my strong support for the way this is being implemented at the Waterloo Region District School Board. At the same time, I do want to express my frustration at the constant and ongoing attacks on that work in our district for nearly two years now, by a small but vocal group that opposes inclusion initiatives.

I support the Ministry’s efforts to improve historical outcomes for marginalized groups, and the confidential collection of demographic data that informs these initiatives. Equity and inclusion initiatives are a critical component of student success. While opponents of these initiatives claim that they are at odds with academic success, in the Region of Waterloo what we are experiencing is in fact the opposite. In spite of a pandemic, our board’s dedication and work is starting to be reflected in an improvement in achievement, sense of well-being and the trust of many communities in the work the board is engaged with. In the recent EQAO results, our board saw consistent improvements in achievement in math, reading, and writing over the prior year. In nearly all categories, we now meet or exceed provincial results. By fostering a safe and inclusive school environment, our board is able to help students focus on their studies and improve academic performance.

All of this has been happening within a growing climate of hate fostered by a small but loud group within the Region who subject the board to attacks via social media and through delegations at school board meetings that are openly vitriolic, especially against 2SLTBGQIA+ students and families. Over the past two years our board has seen challenges to books containing representations of the Queer community, a push to deny privacy rights to transgender students, attacks against equitable hiring practices, and aspersions cast on its data collection practices. These efforts have been accompanied by relentless harassment, intimidation, and threats against the staff and leadership who have been implementing inclusion initiatives. It has been more than a year since the Globe and Mail reported on the campaign of intimidation targeting some of our trustees and the Director of Education, and little has changed. The attacks on Director jeewan chanicka – the only openly Queer, Muslim, mixed race (Black, Indigenous & Brown) Director of Education in the province – have been particularly intense. Director chanicka has been an important and visible leader in the Waterloo Region community advocating for safety and inclusion. I particularly appreciate his public videos, which openly and continually call for all sides to come together, to disagree with compassion but also to uphold human rights for all. He is an asset to both our schools and the wider Region of Waterloo.

The board has a long journey ahead of it to get to equitable outcomes for all students. They are working toward that goal, and need our support. I urge you to support the Ministry’s own Equity and Inclusion priorities, AND our board’s efforts to implement them. I also ask that you use your public platform to celebrate the work and leadership happening in the Region of Waterloo and unequivocally denounce the harassment, intimidation, and threats against school board staff and leadership who have been working diligently to make our schools safer and more inclusive, and through this helping students to improve both their achievement and well-being.

Sincerely,

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