FCSS-FESC On Inclusive Activism and Response To Recent Events

Recently, the Federation of Canadian Secondary Students / Fédération des élèves du secondaire au Canada (FCSS-FESC) has become aware of the public allegations made against the Ontario Student Trustees Association / l’Association des élèves conseillers et conseillères de l’Ontario (OSTA-AECO).

Even today, discrimination and bias on the grounds of racism, sexism, and homophobia are present in the workforce in countless forms, though they remain unacceptable nonetheless. The FCSS-FESC stands against such discrimination and in solidarity with those affected, no matter where and when it may occur. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind at the FCSS-FESC, and remain committed to acknowledging and amplifying the voices of those who have lived experiences with discrimination.

Since its inception, the FCSS-FESC’s mission has always been to advocate for the rights of all students in Canada, which means we constantly work on finding ways to make our activism and programming more inclusive. Social justice is always a work in progress, there are always more issues to identify, to analyze, to solve. We recognize that we have much work to do as well, and would like to take this opportunity to reflect on our progress and where we must do better.

There are always more opportunities to change our organization to become a more inclusive and socially just place. Recognizing this, we take every opportunity our resources allow to promote equity within the FCSS-FESC. More specifically:

1. We dedicate time to discussing best courses of action when planning events or to write an email response to a student inquiry because we truly want to make sure that the work we put out into the world is representative of the values of accessibility and inclusivity that we promote.

2. We require all Members to read the following By-laws and Policies to inform and educate themselves about equitable approaches to our work, as well as complete mandatory human rights, equity, and anti-oppression training within the first month of their Membership:

• Policy 1000 — Code of Conduct;

• Policy 2001 — Harassment;

• Policy 2002 — Equity and Inclusion;

• Policy 2003 — Disability Accessibility;

• Policy 3006 — Inclusive Language; and

• Policy 5000 — Code of Ethics.

3. We hire Justice, Equity, Decolonization, and Inclusion (JEDI) Officers who are student Members of the Executive team that are dedicated to consulting both inside and outside of the organization to ensure that the programs we offer, as well as our internal conduct, are continually reviewed for equity and accessibility.

As an organization, we look forward to seeing the steps that OSTA-AECO takes to create a safer and more inclusive environment for its members. We encourage them to take steps similar to our own, and offer them our support should they wish in enacting institutional change within their organization and hope it could be a mutually beneficial endeavour with an end result that benefits all secondary students.

We recognize the bravery it takes for a student to speak out against systemic oppression and discrimination. We recognize that change is not easy, but speaking out brings everyone a step closer to creating a better and more just future. Breaking the silence sparks conversations and raises the questions necessary for righting the wrongs in a system characterized by discrimination, oppression, and the silencing of marginalized voices. There is no excuse for upholding the status quo, and we all can and must do better.