Student rights part of virtual session for Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills schools

Schools, Human Rights, and the Canadian Charter will be discussed in the first session this year of the Halton District School Board’s (HDSB) Director’s Panel series.

The special virtual sessions, led by Director of Education Curtis Ennis and Human Rights & Equity Advisor Pardeep Nagra, explore issues and themes impacting students and education today.

The first session, open to families, students, staff, and community members in Oakville, Burlington, Milton, and Halton Hills, will be held Monday, October 21, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“This first session will provide an opportunity for us to come together and engage in meaningful discussions about how to support individual students and our school communities as a whole,” says Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “Through these important conversations, we will explore ways to ensure that our schools are environments where both individual rights and the rights of all are upheld and respected, and where all students feel a sense of belonging, kindness, and community, preparing them to become informed global citizens.”

The Schools, Human Rights, and the Canadian Charter session will explore how human rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms are applied within HDSB schools.

The thoughtful discussion touches upon the emerging challenges and best practices for upholding human rights “in a way that supports both individual freedoms and the collective well-being” of school communities.

One of the panelists will be Gillian Tuck Kutarna, a lawyer specializing in legal advice for organizations in the education and not-for-profit sectors.

Kutarna will offer insights on how challenges such as navigating complex human rights issues can be addressed in schools, including strategies for balancing competing rights.

This livestream link for this virtual event will be on the HDSB website (hdsb.ca). Registration is not required.

Those interested in attending the event can submit a question to the panel before the session through this Google Form: https://bit.ly/3zHANW5