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Lloydminister Public School Division

780-875-5541 Fax: 780-875-7829

5017 46 Street
Lloydminster, Alberta T9V 1R4

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Administrative Procedures

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Administrative Procedure 313

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Background

Lloydminster Public School Division acknowledges that racism, in all its forms, is embedded in society and is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to ensuring a safe, inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment for all employees. Lloydminster Public School Division supports and encourages diversity through the identification and removal of barriers and biases, and the creation of workplaces and learning environments that are free of harassment and discrimination.
The development and implementation of procedures, practices, and programs shall reflect and promote everyone’s right to equal concern and respect, and provide an environment which
promotes and fosters growth, harmony, and equal opportunities for all students and staff members.

Procedures

  1. The staff of Lloydminster Public School Division have a responsibility to ensure that the Lloydminster Public School Division’s workplaces do not perpetuate stereotyping, bias, discrimination, racism, sexism, or inequality, and to respond with timely intervention when these become evident.

  2. Demonstrating commitment and action toward a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive
    community requires reflection and active learning.  As such, application of this procedure will
    focus on providing education and resources.  All staff of the Lloydminster Public School
    Division are expected to understand equity, diversity, and inclusion and are responsible for
    the implementation of such within their scope of influence and authority.

  3. Equity, diversity, and inclusion as related to representation of the broader community means
    inclusivity of designated equity groups as described by the Saskatchewan Human Rights
    Commission (Indigenous Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, Visible Minority, Women in
    Underrepresented Occupations), and Gender and Sexually Diverse individuals. 
  4. Lloydminster Public School Division values diversity and believes equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging strengthens educational and student excellence, innovation, and facilitates a positive student and staff experience.

  5. Lloydminster Public School Division is committed to the elimination of racism through
    answering the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that pertain to
    education and through anti-racism and anti-oppression employee professional development.

  6. All Lloydminster Public School Division employees are expected to actualize this Administrative Procedure and the principles of diversity, equality, human dignity, and respect and to reflect them back in their daily interactions, decisions, organizational practices, and strategic priorities.
  7. All Lloydminster Public School Division staff share the responsibility for creating a
    supportive and inclusive environment and are accountable to:
    1. Foster a culture that embraces equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging;
    2. Display respect as they seek to understand each other’s perspectives by inviting and exploring the evidence supporting alternative points of view. Perspectives that would be considered discriminatory will not be tolerated;
    3. Acknowledge and address the biases, underlying beliefs and values, assumptions, and stereotypes that inhibit opportunity in work and learning environments;
    4. Welcome, embrace, and foster positive, informed, and inclusive attitudes toward each other;
    5. Use inclusive and respectful language and approaches in all interactions with students, staff, and families;
    6. Embed anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices into Lloydminster Public School Division’s educational and operational functions to ensure racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and oppression are not tolerated;
    7. Answer the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that pertain to education;
    8. Model respect for all sexual orientations and gender identities and understanding that equity and inclusive principles apply to all sexual orientations and gender identities;
    9. Strive for all communications to be accessible to diverse groups, reflect the diversity of Lloydminster Public School Division and community, and use inclusive language so that it applies to all;
    10. Assume responsibility for examining and modifying behaviours to be consistent with equity and inclusive expectations;
    11. Provide environments that are free of discrimination and harassment, and inclusive of all individuals;
    12. Report matters of harassment and discrimination in compliance with Lloydminster Public School Division’s Administrative Procedures, specifically Administrative Procedure 402 Employee Harassment which includes the steps to report incidents of discrimination or harassment; and,
    13. Seek out the perspectives and voices of underrepresented groups in decision-making.
  1. All leaders within Lloydminster Public School Division are responsible for:
    1. Promoting a respectful learning and working environment by clearly communicating that discrimination and harassment will not be tolerated and with clear procedures to report discrimination and harassment;
    2. Providing leadership and direction to answer the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that pertain to education;
    3. Providing opportunities and/or resources for staff and students to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes to deepen understanding of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging including disadvantage and underrepresentation;
    4. Ensuring that all reports of discrimination and harassment are documented and follow the appropriate procedures of reporting;
    5. Modeling inclusive cultural norms and behaviours by demonstrating commitment and action towards gender and sexual diversity and anti-oppressive practices to create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive community;
    6. Providing equal opportunity by removing barriers to participation and progression in employment and education so that all staff and students have the opportunity to fully participate;
    7. Identifying opportunities and taking steps towards the objectives for student and staff equity, diversity, and inclusion;
    8. Providing physical and virtual environments that are accessible, including but not limited to the equipment and resources within them;
    9. Critically reviewing Lloydminster Public School Division documents, publications, and other works to ensure the use of inclusive and non-discriminatory language and images that reflect social and cultural diversity;
    10. Creating a culture that both values and benefits from equity, diversity, and inclusion, in which staff are required to follow this Administrative Procedure in all interactions with each other and the broader community;
    11. Providing support and training opportunities for employees to develop knowledge, skills, and behaviours to understand identity, to identify personal bias, to eliminate discriminatory and non-inclusive practices, and to foster dialogue that creates understanding and respect for diversity;
    12. Creating and sustaining a welcoming environment in common spaces that reflects social and cultural diversity through signage, art, ceremonial spaces, language, inclusive cultural practices, and protocols;
    13. Ensuring that all Lloydminster Public School Division staff comply with all relevant legislation related to human rights and employment equity, specifically, The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018, The Saskatchewan Employment Act, and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020;
    14. Ensuring that all formal complaints will be resolved through application of the appropriate laws, Administrative Procedures and/or collective bargaining agreements.


Definitions 

Diversity - refers to the existence of variations of different characteristics in a group of people.  These characteristics make each person unique, such as cognitive skills and personality traits, along with the things that shape identity like race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and cultural background. Valuing diversity is not simply acknowledging or tolerating different ideas, perspectives, and identities but valuing the differences as a strength that needs to be fostered.  

Equity - is about fairness in access to education and employment and in the opportunity to succeed.  Employment equity principles, policies, and practices enable equitable access, representation, opportunities, and meaningful participation of socially diverse people.  

Inclusion - is the meaningful engagement and structurally marginalized and excluded individuals and groups.  Inclusion refers to enabling all individuals in the workplace to have full participation in all aspects at Lloydminster Public Schools including decision-making roles.

Racism - is the belief that one group of people, identified by physical characteristics of shared ancestry (such as skin colour), is superior to another group of people that look different from themselves. Racism occurs when individuals or groups are disadvantaged or mistreated based on their perceived race and/or ethnicity either through individualistic or systemic racism.

Anti-Racism - involves the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably.

Oppression - can be understood as a prolonged system of domination that denies individuals dignity, human rights, social resources, and power.  It is the imbalance and misuse of power by a dominant group towards an oppressed target group, resulting in the mistreatment of some individuals and groups.

Transphobia - is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against transgender people.

 

Reference
The Education Act, 1995 

The School Division Administration Regulations 

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018 

The Saskatchewan Employment Act 

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 

Criminal Code of Canada 

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 

Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission 

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 

AP 160 Health and Safety of Students and Staff  

AP 180 Confidentiality
AP 402 Employee Harassment
AP 432 Support Staff Code of Conduct and Confidentiality


Revised
August 2023

Regina Public School Division recognized as source.