Advancing Human Rights and Equity

The goal of education is student success during the learning years and later in life. This goal can only be achieved in a learning environment where students feel safe and welcome and do not experience discrimination due to personal characteristics that are protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code. 

In promoting the inherent dignity of every student, and in alignment with the Ontario government’s recognition that “the work must be ongoing to ensure that our schools continue to provide caring, inclusive, safe, and accepting environments that support the achievement and well-being of every student”, the Durham Catholic District School Board will continue to advance equitable and inclusive education. 

Goals and Strategies

Deepen the culture of respect for the inherent dignity and human rights of every student, staff and family in DCDSB

Facilitate professional development to build staff capacity for culturally responsive engagement with students, colleagues, and families, with the goal of addressing systemic discrimination and fostering inclusive, safe, and equitable learning and working environments
Use available data to design and deliver targeted professional development that builds employee capacity to proactively address systemic discrimination and create the conditions for learning and improved student success
Measure progress through defined outcomes linked to student success and staff practice

Effectively address human rights, equity, and discrimination concerns/complaints through a dedicated complaints resolution process that promotes early/informal resolution

Review the Board’s human rights complaints resolution process for alignment with existing complaints resolution processes for effective complaints resolution
Undertake professional development for board employees on the implementation of the reviewed human rights complaints process
Improve reporting of human rights complaints by capturing reports from schools and board offices

Promote community engagement through collaboration with board Advisory Committees to remove systemic barriers with a view to improving student learning and success

Strengthen collaboration with advisory committees and key stakeholders with a view to addressing student intersectionalities to maximize their potential
Improve community engagement through strategic collaboration to enhance a whole school approach to student success

Use demographic data to address student enrolment, suspension/expulsions, and overall well-being, and to close the representation gap for marginalized employees

Use disaggregated data from Student Demographic Survey to respond to human rights and equity trends in schools to enhance conditions for learning to improve student success
Use workforce census disaggregated data to implement inclusive practices that promote equitable representation across the Board

Equity Action Plan

Details regarding Training and Staff Development and Community and Staff Engagement can be found in the 2023 – 2024 Equity Action Plan at a Glance.