Letter from TLDSB Director of Education and Chair of the Board

June 3, 2020

 

Dear TLDSB families,

International attention is currently focused on the May 25 acts of police brutality that resulted in the horrific death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, U.S.A., as well as many similar incidents that have occurred before this. Watching or hearing about this heinous crime stirs outrage in us all and might have us consider our role in educating students to value diversity and demonstrate respect for others.

In Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) we have worked hard to promote equity and inclusion in all that we do to provide safe and accepting learning environments for our students, our staff, and our school communities. We have policies and procedures in place that are intended to ensure that all students can learn and feel welcome regardless of our differences. Most importantly, this is what we stand for and what we believe.

Sadly, we realize that in every community, systemic racism does exist. It is our hope that by continuing to remind all members of our school communities of our expectations for behaviour that it is understood our intolerance for inappropriate racially-motivated actions, including social media posts, is absolute. Racism causes pain. It’s not okay. Black people and other marginalized people in our communities face discrimination every day. We need our school communities to be allies in the fight against discrimination. That includes all of us – TLDSB staff and trustees, parents and guardians, community partners, and students.

The news stories and protests occurring around the globe give us an opportunity to learn and to be a part of the change that needs to happen. This is a time to listen and to reflect on the injustices faced on a regular basis by marginalized groups.

We are incredibly proud of our students. We continually see examples of how our students value diversity, condemn discrimination, and stand up for what they believe. Our schools do their part by providing opportunities to learn from history and to discuss current events. We can all do our part to be a part of the change that ends discrimination. We can listen and learn as we hear stories from others who have experienced racism. When we see an injustice, we can say it’s not okay. Students can share concerns with a trusted adult.

All the necessary tools and resources are available to us in TLDSB and we commit to continuing to eliminate discrimination so that all members of the school community and the communities we live in feel safe, comfortable, and respected.

Sincerely,

Larry Hope
Director of Education

Bruce Reain
Chair of the Board

2020-06-03T11:25:24-04:00
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