All HDSB schools promote inclusion and acceptance of all students, families and staff throughout the entire school year. Learning activities, events and celebrations will include specific focus on groups of people, such as 2S & LGBTQ+, who have experienced, and do experience, unsafe and exclusionary conditions as well as harmful and violent acts of bullying and harassment.
2S & LGBTQ+ education fits with the HDSB’s multi-year plan goals of safe and inclusive schools for every student, staff and its community members. School and staff census data tells us that all identities are present in the HDSB school system and its communities. Therefore, it is our imperative to represent all identities through the Ministry of Education curriculum and to promote safety, respect, acceptance and inclusion for all.
What is a GSA?
In the Halton District School Board, every Secondary school and many Elementary schools have GSA's. The term often stands for Gender-Sexuality Alliance. GSAs are an extracurricular group open to all students regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. According to Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act (2012), students have the right to form student led groups that promote the awareness and understanding of, and respect for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. These groups are supervised by school staff.