The Human Rights and Equity Office (HREO) is the YCDSB’s arms-length office for addressing matters specific to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the following YCDSB policies:
- Policy 613: Equity and Inclusive Education
- Policy 223: Bullying Prevention and Intervention
- Policy 202: Safe Schools – Student Discipline
A comprehensive Human Rights and Equity Policy is currently in development and will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval in the fall.
The arm’s-length nature of the HREO is key to ensuring that all members of the YCDSB community are guaranteed fair treatment and equitable processes that address issues without influence from any other department or unit at the Board.
The mandate of the HREO is to lead the YCDSB community in fostering inclusive and respectful learning and working environments for our students, staff, trustees and other community members. Responsibilities within this mandate include the following:
- Address human rights complaints confidentially, fairly and in a timely manner
- Support prevention of discrimination and harassment through education and training to build respectful learning and working environments
- Oversee accessibility compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
- Provide guidance, leadership and education on human rights, equity, inclusion and diversity
- Assist with dispute resolution
- Develop and implement relevant policies, procedures and reports
For more information, please visit the Human Rights and Equity Office website.