Equity Policy Advisory Committee Minutes

Date:April 19, 2018

Type or Meeting:General

Meeting Start Time:6:30pm

Voting Members Present: Parent Co-chair - Marjolein Winterink, Community Co-chair - Andrea Vasquez Jimenez, Sue Winton, Dennis Keshinro, Andre Harriott, Sharon Beason, Trustee Patel, Michael Kerr, Mohamed Ahmed,

Non-Voting Members Present:Ken Jeffers, Sonia French,

Observers Present: Sharma Queiser,

On phone:Sophia Ruddock [member], Naima Raza [observer]

MemberRegrets: Krystle Skeete [missed her call in due to EPAC delaying the start of the meeting]

Recorder:Sonia French

ITEM / DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM / RECOMMENDATION/MOTION
Call to Order/Acknowledgement of Ancestral Lands /Quorum / Meeting was called to order and Acknowledgement of Ancestral Lands was read by: Parent Co-chair Winterink
  • Quorum was met

Approval of Agenda /
  • Approved

Approval of Jan., Feb., Mar., Minutes /
  • Approved

Declaration of Possible Conflict of Interest /
  • None

Co-chair Report / Community Co-chair – Jimenez announced her intent to seek nomination
Director’s Response to Enhancing Equity Task Force recommendations and Next Steps / Motion: it was moved that EPAC create a working group and planning session that will focus in on key areas for EPAC future focus. The motion was seconded and carried without opposition.
Member asked: What has changed in the Director’s Response based on the past delegation?
Member asked: How are issued decided and is there data monitoring?
Member suggested that the working group meets to bring ideas to the larger group.
Member requested time to submit ideas/areas of focus rather than sourcing them at the current meeting.
Determined that suggestions should be available by the May 17, 2018 meeting. / Action Item – Moved and seconded without objection: volunteers for small group formation
Trustees Brown and Patel, Sharon Beason, Co-Chairs Winterink and Vasquez Jimenez, Sharma Queiser, Sue Winton and Michael Kerr are part of the small working group.
Multi-Year Strategic Plan [MYSP] / Trustee Brown spoke re: the consultation process.MYSP impacts the Equity Policy but how, we are not sure. We have to hear community voices. Discussed: May 16 deputations to P&P meeting.
Member asked: When is the starting time and what holds TDSB to the 3yr time frame for the MYSP. – Starting time appears to be Sept. 2018
Member asked: How exactly does the MYSP drive the equity framework and all other initiatives
Answer: MYSP drives all the other plans, policy and TDSB initiatives.
Trustee Patel issued an invitation to all EPAC to attend the MYSP in Scarborough. / EPAC must register delegates 3 days before the meeting. EPAC may have to set up a teleconference to discuss delegation. Working group will review ideas from larger group.
Action Item: Invitation to be sent to all members and interested observers of EPAC. Done
2018 TDSB Parents as Partners Conference April 28, 2018 / Member Kerr noted a spelling error to be corrected on the EPAC banner.
Some adjustments made in workshop leadership. Arlene Wallace was not able to present and co-chair Vasquez Jimenez was able to recruit Alexandra Arráiz, Coordinator oftheParent School Engagement Program for the Working Women Community Centre, to step in as presenter. / Action Item – Request for correction to the banner
The correction was made and the banner was used successfully at the Parent as Partners Conference.
EPAC Terms of Reference Membership and Meeting Structure / The Terms of Reference document is still a working document. The steering group that met pre-general meeting were not able to complete the update of the documents. ToR should be completed before the next EPAC General Meeting on May 17, 2018. / Action Completed
Request for interested members to meet on the ToR reform was sent: 3 members plus the admin assistant and the staff resource person met and completed the ToR revisions.
TDSB Days of Significance, Heritage Days and Months / Member wishes it known that TDSB April Latin American History Month differs from the City of Toronto October - Hispanic Heritage Month.Latinos consider the Hispanic label to be transparentEurocentrismand speaks to the European history of domination of LatinAmerindian, black, and mestizo cultures, by Spain.
Heritage months often determined for political reasons and to represent specific communities represented by specific trustees. The Board needs a policy that guides them re any financial resources, staffing and time allocations.
TDSB Days of Significance Accommodation document developed to determine any required accommodations over the coming school year.
Staff Report / Ken Jeffers spoke to how the last update of the Equity Policy was nearly 20 years ago in 1999. Equity policy is now a 45 page document with a 16 page glossary hyperlinked in. The 2018 Equity Policy has now been voted in by the Board. “The policy centers marginalized voices, from students to staff and allows the mobilization of change within and without the TDSB system.” The first EPAC meeting in the fall of 2018 will review policy and plan response to the new policy. / Action Item:
Send the Equity Policy link, to EPAC members, once it goes live on the TDSB site. Done.
Other Business / Member stated: Caring and Safe implies that the TDSB is unsafe and unwelcoming. KJ pointed out that the Education Act uses ‘Safety’ and we cannot change the wording.
Next Meeting Date / May 17th, 2018
Adjournment / 8:15pm

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