There have been many questions and some misinformation about the work in schools to create inclusive classrooms. In online and in-person debates and protests, complex issues are being reduced to single words like “rights”, “indoctrination”, “woke”, “critical race theory”, “religious rights and freedoms”. These words are used as “evidence” to support or oppose certain perspectives.
What is actually happening in schools is that students are learning about history, math, reading, art, science, geography, technology and more. They are learning that people from around the world - people with different abilities, who speak different languages, who have different racial and ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, gender identities, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, lived experiences - all of these people have and can make important contributions to the world.
What is happening in classrooms today is that we are trying to create inclusive spaces where every student feels valued, seen, and empowered. We are teaching students not to make assumptions about others and to contribute to a culture of acceptance and appreciation in the school community. As we work to create an inclusive environment, we acknowledge that students may hold varying perspectives and beliefs. We encourage open dialogue and respectful discussions, and we continue our work to stop bullying, discrimination, or harassment targeting any individual or group.
We are teaching students to learn how to build relationships, be critical thinkers, ethical decision-makers and ready them to contribute to the community, both locally and globally. The diversity in our classrooms is the diversity outside our school walls. Building inclusive learning spaces is vital to our mandate and commitment to public education. We want students to confidently move through the world of tomorrow with an ability to not only understand, appreciate and respect one another, but find a way to work together as they shape their future.