YWCA Toronto’s Post

Rebecca Kling has a book coming out you need to get if you are in the #education space. The Advocate Educator’s Handbook: Creating Schools Where Transgender and Non-Binary Students Thrive, comes out on January 31! You can learn more and pre-order at https://lnkd.in/e4rcepr4 #transgenderawareness #education #lgbtqia #inclusiveeducation #nonbinary #newbookrelease #newbook

As parents, teachers, and members of vibrant and diverse communities, most of us agree that every student, regardless of who they are, where they're from, what their gender is, or how they look, should feel respected and free to be their authentic selves at school. But far right groups are spreading misinformation about evidence-based policies that make sure students of all genders are free to be their authentic selves at school. They are trying to pit us against one another to sow division and gain political power. Instead of focusing on addressing the many important issues affecting our young people, they're pushing us in the opposite direction. We want communities where everyone is welcome, with mosques and Pride parades, where we get the healthcare we need, and, when it comes to our children's education, it’s about facts over scare tactics! When it comes to our schools, we choose #FactsOverFear so all students, including trans and queer students, can thrive. Join us: www.factsoverfear.ca

As parents, teachers, and members of vibrant and diverse communities, most of us agree that every student, regardless of who they are, where they're from, what their gender is, or how they look, should feel respected and free to be their authentic selves at school. But far right groups are spreading misinformation about evidence-based policies that make sure students of all genders are free to be their authentic selves at school. They are trying to pit us against one another to sow division and gain political power. Instead of focusing on addressing the many important issues affecting our young people, they're pushing us in the opposite direction. We want communities where everyone is welcome, with mosques and Pride parades, where we get the healthcare we need, and, when it comes to our children's education, it’s about facts over scare tactics! When it comes to our schools, we choose #FactsOverFear so all students, including trans and queer students, can thrive. Join us: www.factsoverfear.ca

As parents, teachers, and members of vibrant and diverse communities, most of us agree that every student, regardless of who they are, where they're from, what their gender is, or how they look, should feel respected and free to be their authentic selves at school. But far right groups are spreading misinformation about evidence-based policies that make sure students of all genders are free to be their authentic selves at school. They are trying to pit us against one another to sow division and gain political power. Instead of focusing on addressing the many important issues affecting our young people, they're pushing us in the opposite direction. We want communities where everyone is welcome, with mosques and Pride parades, where we get the healthcare we need, and, when it comes to our children's education, it’s about facts over scare tactics! When it comes to our schools, we choose #FactsOverFear so all students, including trans and queer students, can thrive. Join us: www.factsoverfear.ca

Please help me fix this: "no primary age pupils should be allowed to use a different pronoun, without offering any explanation or evidence to justify this" You try telling me 8 year old son he is not a boy, just because he is primary age!! He has known who he was since he was 2! I know plenty of 40/50/60 year olds who still do not know who they are.....and don't start me on what classifies as evidence. Please help to change this guidance for our children today. Final day of the consultation! Suggested responses about the issues from trained professional with lived experience at Stonewalls link below: Updated Link for Stonewall Guidance: https://lnkd.in/ex_ANrZW Updated link for the government survey: https://lnkd.in/eybvTBb8

In April 2024, the Biden Administration released guidance on the application and administration of Title IX, using existing federal law to extend Title IX protections to members of the LGBTQ+ community and to strengthen and expand protections for pregnant and parenting students and survivors of campus sexual assault. As part of the pushback to this new guidance, a number of state governors and conservative advocacy organizations have attempted to block the new Title IX rules from going into effect in August 2024. At the federal level this pushback came in the form of House Joint Resolution 165 (H.J.Res.165), which seeks to stop the changes to Title IX mentioned above, including LGBTQ+ protections from going into effect in August 2024. H.J.Res.165, which had 72 co-signers, was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 11th, 2024. However, it has not passed in the U.S. Senate. H.J.Res.165 has to also pass in the U.S. Senate for it to successfully block the Title IX changes. This means that now is the time for you to reach out to your U.S. Senator to make sure that they OPPOSE H.J.Res.165 if and when it moves to the U.S. Senate. To see how you can take immediate action, check out our last Let's Talk post that details what you can do to protect and further Title IX legislation or check out the AAUW's Two-Minute Activist tool, which can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gkHqBCAf. Link to the bill and to co-signers can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gSAZPsEW. And as always, you can check out our website for other tips, tools, and resources, found here: https://lnkd.in/gjPVmier. #InclusiveCultureStrategist #InclusiveCultureStrategy

Looking at survey data collected from over 270,000 high school students, we found that a predominant concern among all students is the pressure from academic workload and expectations, contributing significantly to their overall stress. Additionally: 💡 Students consistently report overall workload, homework, tests/quizzes, finals, and assessments as their top sources of stress. 💡 Girls/women report higher pressure to do well across almost all racial category groups. 💡 Transgender/gender non-conforming students also report high levels of pressure to do well in school. 💡 On average, girls/women report higher worries about not doing well in school compared to boys/men across all racial/ethnic categories. Transforming these data points and the student experience at your school is possible, though! If you're unsure, we're here to help. 🤝 Head to the link below to view the full 2024 Student Voice Report and learn about our partnership opportunities: https://lnkd.in/gHPKq_g6 * Chart Note: Students were asked how much pressure they feel to do well in school on a scale of 1 = Never/none to 5 = Always/a lot. #mentalhealthmatters #schoolculture #principals #students #edleadership #edchat #k12 #belonging #wellbeingmatters #wellbeing

The new #EurydiceEU report on diversity and inclusion in schools highlights the various initiatives aiming to improve access and participation in education, reduce early school leaving, and foster equal opportunities. While certain groups, such as Roma students and those with special educational needs or disabilities, receive significant attention in existing policies, we must continue to strive for greater inclusivity. The promotion of gender equality, combating antisemitism, and addressing the discrimination faced by other religious minority students or LGBTIQ+ students are areas that require more focus and dedication. This report investigates existing national/top-level policies and measures that promote diversity and inclusion in school education. It focuses especially on learners who are most likely to experience disadvantage and/or discrimination in schools, including girls/boys, students from different migrant, ethnic and religious backgrounds, LGBTIQ+ students, and students with special educational needs or disabilities. The report highlights existing targeted policy initiatives promoting the learners’ access to quality, inclusive, mainstream education. It provides a comparative overview of policies and measures across 39 European education systems and presents many country examples, which showcase some of the most recent initiatives taken across Europe. Our goal must be to develop education systems that empower and help every learner to reach their full potential! #education #diversity #inclusion

Anti-LGBTQ legislation is in now effect in schools across the country as students head back to school. These bills are going to significantly affect student mental health and can have long-lasting consequences on their decision to pursue higher education. See our round-up of recent anti-LGBTQ bills in education: https://hubs.li/Q021Tp3V0 https://lnkd.in/gRMAEwdB

I can't imagine being an LGBTQ2 child of a parent whose values discriminate against them. Where is that child to feel safe, cared for? How is that child to be authentic when they fear their parent learning of who they are at their core? How is that child able to explore their identity, free from intrusion? What if a child, typical, simply plays with toys usually played with by their opposite gender? Can that child's normal developmental role exploring playing be accepted? Will they be caused to feel shame when such play is normal too? The war on gender is harmful. Gender like the color of eyes, hair and skin is not on a binary, but on a spectrum. Such is the nature of being human. Narrow-mindedness requires greater education. Sadly, even that education is under attack as well as the structures for serving education and those who serve it. Be better than that. Bully tactics aimed at a tiny vulnerable minority is just that, bully tactics. It's the politics of distraction on the backs of those who are defenseless. Acceptance and inclusion serves us all. It serves children. It serves society.