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 Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council
Dedicated to Preserving Family Values
P.O. Box 66714, 38 King Street East,
Stoney Creek, ON CANADA L8G 5E6 		CFAC logo
Equity Policy - Sexual Orientation Strand - January 2007
Steering Committee, Equity Policy - Sexual Orientation Component
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
100 Main St. West
P.O. Box 2558
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3L1

Definitions added by Steering Committee
to Equity Policy as of January 2007

(Full Equity Policy Glossary found at HWDSB website, Page 18.)

Sexual Orientation is more than simply a "status" that an individual possess; it is an immutable personal characteristic that forms part of an individual's core identity. Sexual Orientation encompasses the range of human sexuality from gay and lesbian to bisexual and heterosexual orientations.

Homophobia is the fear and hatred of lesbians and gay men, or any behaviour that falls outside of the perceived traditional gender roles. Homophobic acts may include but are not limited to name calling, shunning/exclusion and the promotion of hatred and violence targeting lesbian and gay individuals and/or group.

Heterosexism is used to refer to the assumption that everyone is heterosexual. This definition is often used in the context of discrimination against bisexual, lesbian and gay people that is less overt, and which may be unintentional and unrecognized by the person or organization responsible for the discrimination. It can also be useful in understanding and identifying some kinds of institutional or societal bias, although homophobia may also be at play.

APPROVED STATEMENTS TO DATE

Section 2 - Leadership

2.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is committed to providing leadership at all levels that fosters an environment of respect for all people regardless of sexual orientation and will endeavour to raise awareness of issues related to sexual orientation and equity throughout the Board jurisdiction.

2.2 The leadership of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, as part of its Strategic Directions will provide opportunities and support implementation of equity education and initiatives as they pertain to sexual orientation. This will be reflected in implementation plans and school/service improvement plans to ensure inclusive environments for students, staff and community.

2.3 The leadership of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will strive to ensure that educational practices are inclusive and reflect the contributions of lesbian, gay and bisexual communities and other communities of people who identify themselves on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and that all forms of stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and homophobia and violence against these communities are challenged and eliminated.

Section 3 - School-Community Partnerships

3.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board recognizes that school communities include people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered and will promote active engagement with these communities to ensure inclusive school community partnerships.

3.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board acknowledges that there are barriers which may prevent full participation in school-community partnerships by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities. Through engagement with these communities, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will identify and remove these barriers.

3.3 School councils and other -school initiatives or activities endorsed by or affiliated with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will be welcoming to parents/guardians and caregivers of all sexual orientations.

Section 4 - Curriculum

4.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that the principles and practices of Equity related to Sexual Orientation permeate curriculum delivery in all subject areas. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will honour this commitment by:

· Ensuring that its staff has access to a wide variety of bias-free teaching and learning materials;

· Supporting staff who choose to use learning materials with themes, topics or characters that reflect the diversity of sexual orientations;

· Ensuring that best practice, teaching and learning strategies are used to address the topic of Sexual Orientation;

· Ensuring that its facilities are spaces in which Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender students can participate in learning experiences without fear of harassment.

4.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will strive to deliver program, provide learning materials and promote best practices in all accepted subject matter that reflects a balance of perspectives and includes a diversity of experiences including Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender communities.

4.3 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure staff delivers curriculum and provides learning experiences that are free of Homophobia and Heterosexism.

4.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will provide staff with professional development to examine teaching practices and learning experiences for discriminatory bias related to Heterosexism.

4.5 Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board staff will develop student critical thinking skills about Heterosexism to enable students to challenge bias and stereotypical assumptions.

Agreed: Definition of "best practice" (including evidence based, etc.) to be added to the glossary for full understanding of the term.

Section 5 - Student Languages

5.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board values and respects all languages and cultures.

5.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that both its communication practices and communications with staff, students, parents/guardians and the community at large will be free from Heterosexism and Homophobia.

5.3 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that resources are available to schools and departments to enable appropriate communications with staff, students, parents/guardians and the community at large.

5.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will provide language learning programming that is free from Heterosexism and Homophobia.

Section 6 - Student Assessment, Evaluation, Reporting and Placement

6.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that its assessment, evaluation, reporting and placement practices and procedures are free of Heterosexism and Homophobia.

6.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that its placement and programming practices and procedures are free from discriminatory biases related to gender roles and Sexual Orientation. Further, it will ensure that assessment, evaluation, reporting and placement decisions meet individual student needs and offer students opportunities to reach their highest potential.

6.3 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will identify and eliminate discrimination and barriers by identifying, reviewing and changing practices that lead to the streaming of students into programs on the basis of Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity.

6.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will collaborate with students and parents/caregivers by informing them of assessment, evaluation, reporting and placement practices and procedures. This collaboration includes making and re-evaluating placement decisions.

Section 7 - Counselling/Guidance/Support Services

7.1 All Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board programs addressing students' personal needs, as well as their academic and career choices, will be delivered in a manner that is free from Heterosexism and Homophobia.

7.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will identify and eliminate discriminatory biases related to Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity in its Counselling, Guidance and Support Service programs. Further program development and review process that include community participation will strive to include representation from LGBT students, families, and/or community organizations.

7.3 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that its Counselling, Guidance and Support Service do not underestimate the potential of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender students because of discriminatory bias and stereotyping related to Sexual Orientation.

7.4 The confidentiality and privacy of the students accessing and utilizing these programs will be protected within the boundaries of existing legal framework.

7.5 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will use communication practices that are free from Heterosexism and Homophobia to facilitate parent/guardian involvement in matters relating to their child's academic achievement, social and emotional development, behaviour and future direction.

Section 8 - Harassment

8.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's Harassment and/or Safe Schools Policies will be applied for reporting, responding to and resolving incidents of harassment based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Every individual has the right to report harassment without fear of reprisal and every complaint will be investigated confidentially in order to protect the rights of all individuals.

8.2 Through professional development, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will provide staff with the knowledge, skills and resources to identify and respond to harassment based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.

8.3 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will communicate its commitment to safe schools and workplaces for Gays, Lesbian, Bisexuals and Transgender persons by ensuring that Staff, Trustees, students, parent/guardians and community members are aware of its Harassment Policy, Safe Schools Policy and Equity Policy as they relate to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

8.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will develop an accountability process to monitor and report upon instances of harassment based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.

Section 9 - Employment Practices

9.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's recruitment and employment policies, practices and procedures will be fair and equitable, and will not discriminate based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.

9.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will identify and eliminate systemic barriers related to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in its recruitment, employment and promotion practices.

9.3 The procedures for progressive discipline, performance appraisal, review and reporting will be as free as possible from bias and stereotypical assumptions based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

9.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will ensure that the Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities of its staff are protected.

Draft - Section 10 - Staff Development

10.1 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will implement professional development programs based on identified needs to enable trustees and staff to understand, identify and address Heterosexism and Homophobia.

10.2 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will provide staff with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to teach, work and learn from a perspective that is free from heterosexism and to enable staff and students to challenge biases and stereotypical assumptions based on homophobia.

10.3 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will provide staff development designed to enable staff to foster dialogue aimed at creating an understanding and respect for diversity, which will assist in the creation of a safe learning environment for all students.

10.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will involve, as appropriate, representatives of communities who identify themselves on the basis of Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity in the design and implementation of staff development programs related to Equity and Sexual Orientation.
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Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council
(CFAC Hamilton Branch)
P.O. Box 66714, 38 King Street East, Stoney Creek, ON CANADA L8G 5E6