ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO

35

Engaging Our Members

confidence and provide opportunity to build on 
these essential skills in a proactive space. A num-
ber of presentations were provided by educators 
Camille Logan, Mini Dewar, Mehrnoush Yadollahi 
and Mary Linton Brady. 

LGBTQ Rights in Your 

Workplace Brochure

While many ETFO members strive to make schools 
safe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer 
or questioning (LGBTQ) students as part of  ETFO’s 
initiatives, it is equally important to ensure that 
workplaces are safe for Federation members.

The ETFO LGBTQ Rights in Your Workplace bro-
chure released in January is first in a series of ini-
tiatives to support ETFO’s Strategy for Challenging 
Homophobia and Championing Safe Workplaces. 
Available in both English and French, the bro-
chure is a call to action for all members to play 
a role in ensuring an inclusive, respectful and 
safe workplace at their schools. It sets out LGBTQ 
rights in the context of the Ontario Human 
Rights Code and Ontario College of Teachers 
Ethical Standards. It also references Ontario’s 
Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy and the 
Accepting Schools Act which provide a framework 
for boards, administrators and teachers to create 
positive and inclusive school climates.

The brochure also contains information for mem-
bers who are considering being out or not in 
school workplaces and the types of support that 
ETFO is ready to provide through its Professional 
Relations Services. 

LGBTQ Video and Resource Guide

The LGBTQ Inclusive SchoolPlace 
Starts Here video and resource 
guide are key pieces of ETFO's 
ETFO’s Strategy for Challenging 
Homophobia and Championing Safe Workplaces. 
The video and the accompanying resource guide 
are ground-breaking initiatives that explore 
homophobia and transphobia in staff rooms and 
classrooms and provide guidance on how to 
address these issues. The resource guide features 
a professional development/learning module for 
each of the six chapters in the video. The initiative, 
which will bring awareness, understanding and 
professional development regarding LGBTQ issues 
in our school communities and beyond, will be 
launched in fall 2015. Workshops will be made 
available to locals following the launch.

Day of Pink Online Resource Page

For the April 8

th

 Day of Pink – “A Day to Stop Bullying 

of LGBTQ People” – ETFO created a resource page 

DAY

 OF 

PINK