FROM THE EDITOR


With this summer women’s issue of Voice, we begin to look forward at what kind of recovery we want to see in Ontario as the COVID-19 pandemic recedes. For ETFO, that includes turning our sights to the next provincial election and beginning the work needed to replace the current government with one that believes in public education and prioritizes the needs and voices of those that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. As President Hammond writes in his column, “While already marginalized communities bore the brunt of the crisis, we saw how gender, compounded by intersec-


tions of race, ability, status, language, precarity and other factors determined both how we were impacted and the kinds of resources available to each of us. As we look forward, those that have been most affected must be centred and prioritized.” In her article Women, Work and COVID-19 Recovery, Canadian Centre for Policy Al-


ternatives Senior Economist Katherine Scott refl ects on how women have been impact- ed. “Women have been frontlined and sidelined by the pandemic in their roles as primary care-givers and care workers in the public and private sectors,” she writes. “Groups and communities least able to shoulder the social and economic fallout of COVID-19 have borne the greatest risks and damaging impacts.” In her feature article Increasing Our Political Engagement Cindy Gangaram refl ects


on all the reasons to get involved in the June 2022 provincial election and the different actions each of us can take. Acknowledging the challenges of the past couple of years and the exhaustion that many educators are feeling she writes, “It may seem tiring to get involved, but it will be even more tiring to face four more years of Conservative rule.” Taking action is a theme of our feature interview with Grade 6 student Rihanna Har- ris. In response to her experiences of anti-Black racism in her community in Hastings- Prince Edward, she began advocating for Black history to become an integrated part of the curriculum. The response to her advocacy work was tremendous and an inspiration to students and educators alike. Also in this issue, Alyssa Gray-Tyghter writes about the inequities embedded in school


board dress code policies and Nessrine Lara Lemqadem Alyass considers how educators can help create an anti-racist classroom. Hope you enjoy these among our other features, a crossword and a great reviews sec-


tion as part of your summer reading. Wishing you a very well-deserved and much-needed break.


ETFO Executive Members


PRESIDENT Sam Hammond, Hamilton-Wentworth


FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Karen Brown, Elementary Teachers of Toronto


VICE-PRESIDENTS David Mastin, Durham Monica Rusnak, Ontario North East


OTF TABLE OFFICER Nathan Core, Waterloo Region


EXECUTIVE MEMBERS Gail Bannister-Clarke, Peel Yvette Blackburn, Elementary Teachers of Toronto Amy Chevis, Simcoe County Mary Fowler, Durham Joy Lachica, Elementary Teachers of Toronto Felicia Samuel, Elementary Teachers of Toronto Mario Spagnuolo, Greater Essex County Sylvia van Campen, Upper Canada Greg Weiler, Waterloo Region Sharon O’Halloran, General Secretary Lorna Larmour, Deputy General Secretary Lisa Mastrobuono, Deputy General Secretary


ETFO Voice Izida Zorde, Editor Sharon O’Halloran, Business Manager Michelle Goddard, Advertising Sales David Beyer, Design


Contributors not otherwise credited: Mary Morison, Karen Kindree


Member of the Canadian Association of Labour Media (CALM) and Canadian Education Press Association


Indexed in the Canadian Educational Index / Répertoire canadien sur l’éducation


ISSN: 1481-4072


Articles contained herein refl ect the views of the authors and do not necessarily express offi cial policy of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.


Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply ETFO endorsement of the product or service. Advertising contracts are subject to cancellation if members complain.


Publications Mail Agreement no. 42409515. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:


136 Isabella Street Toronto, ON M4Y 0B5


Phone: 416-962-3836 or 1-888-838-3836 E-mail: etfovoice@etfo.org etfovoice.ca


Printed by Thistle Printing on FSC certifi ed, 10% post-consumer content; Carbon Lite and Green-e®


certifi ed renewable energy paper. 4 ETFO VOICE | SUMMER 2021


PHOTO BY KATHRYN GAITENS


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52