As a publicly-funded Catholic school system, we are guided both by the teachings of our Church about the dignity and value of every person without exception, and by the relevant human rights laws of our country and our province, such as the Ontario Human Rights Code: “All students should feel safe at school and deserve a positive school climate that is inclusive and accepting, regardless of race, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability”.

We want everyone in our school system—students, families, staff, community partners and visitors—to feel welcome, safe, included and valued. Back in 2016, Ontario’s Catholic bishops wrote about “the inherent value of each and every individual human being and the response of unconditional love that this value demands. This, in fact, is the distinctly Christian vision.”