'I don't feel supported': Delegates ask WRDSB to revise human rights policy

The Waterloo Region District School Board is hearing pleas to reassess its human rights policy to include Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism training.

Delegates at a Tuesday night board meeting said students in the classroom are not feeling safe, and in order to build a better relationship with teacher and administration, the board needs to be proactive in addressing their concerns.

"If we truly want to foster an anti-oppressive, anti-racist and inclusive culture at WRDSB, where all students feel seen, heard, and respected, we should ensure that staff and administration are trained in how to combat anti-Palestinian racism," one delegate said. "We should empower students and their learning by providing them with the guidance and tools to be able to have difficult conversations."

The school board introduced a number of updates to the policy at the Tuesday meeting. They also pointed to the email sent out in December 2023 to students from Grade 7 and up to explain the process they can take if they experience harassment or racism.

"Checking up on a student regarding a topic like this does not need to result in a political debate," another delegate said.

Delegates took to the podium throughout the meeting to speak about how the ongoing war in Gaza has affected them.

"I don't feel supported or comfortable by my school's administration or teachers," another delegate said. "I was penalized and targeted for expressing myself."

Some board members admitted they might need to do a better job at making parents and students aware that there are tools available to address their human rights within the school board.