Student Human Rights Reports 2024-2025

This report summarizes Student Human Rights and School Safety Incident Reporting Tool statistics for the 2024–2025 school year.

Together with school climate survey and student census results, the reporting data helps identify patterns in student well-being, belonging, and safety, and informs where the Board can strengthen supports.

Why this information matters

Human rights data helps LDSB understand where students are experiencing harm, exclusion, or discrimination, and what system and school-level conditions need strengthening so that students can learn in safe, inclusive environments. This directly supports the Board’s strategic goal to improve student well-being and sense of belonging, increase participation and engagement during class time, and maximize time focused on learning. This information is not collected to label schools or students, but to:

• Improve student well-being, safety, and sense of belonging
• Strengthen school climate so students can participate and engage in class
• Guide training, resources, and policy decisions that remove barriers to learning and reduce lost instructional time
• Ensure the Board is meeting its responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code

This summary:

• Shows patterns across the school system, not individual students or schools
• Explains how human rights concerns are used to improve learning and safety
• Connects data to concrete actions and accountability

Schools are a microcosm of wider society. The language, attitudes, and biases that exist in our communities can show up in classrooms, hallways, online spaces, and extracurricular settings. Understanding when and how harmful language is brought into the school environment helps the Board target prevention, interruption, and response supports so that schools remain safe and welcoming for all.

Submission data

• The Human rights reporting system was first launched in October 2022. In December 2024, LDSB redesigned the reporting system to allow students, parents, staff, and members of the school community to submit reports for human rights complaints, bullying and/or cyberbullying incidents, or school safety incidents in the same form. Submitters choose their report type and proceed through the appropriate form
• In 2024–2025, 280 human rights-related concerns were reported by students, parents/guardians, staff, and community members.
• Of the 280 reports submitted as human rights complaints, 81 were reclassified as Other Issues^[1]and 12 were reclassified as Safe Schools^[2] concerns after investigation. These do not count toward the total of human rights investigations.
• At the end of 2024–2025, 54 reports filed as human rights complaints were unassigned. This can mean the investigation has not yet begun, is still in progress, or the outcome has not yet been entered into the system. Complainants are encouraged to include key details (e.g., the respondent and location) to support timely and effective follow-up.
• Sixteen reports submitted as bullying or cyberbullying were investigated as human rights complaints, as was one report submitted as a school safety concern. In addition, 40 other reports (30 school safety and 10 bullying/cyberbullying) were unassigned at year-end and may be reclassified after investigation.
• Altogether, this brings the total number of investigated or potentially investigated human rights complaints submitted in 2024–2025 to 244. This report focuses on the 129 submissions (from students, parents/guardians, staff, and other community members) that were verified as human rights concerns, regardless of investigation status.
• Just over half of all verified human rights reports were submitted by students (51%, N=64), followed by LDSB staff members (31%, N=39), and parents (13%, N=16). The remaining 5% of reports were made by other members of the school community (like a coach) or by people who did not indicate their relationship to the issue.
• For verified human rights reports by or on behalf of students (N=101), most contained grade information (69%, N=70). Of the 70 reports with grade information, Grade 7 students comprise 24% (N=16), followed by Grade 8 students (16%, N=12), and Grade 9 students (16%, N=11). Grade 5 students comprise the next-largest group at 10% (N=7).

Where concerns are concentrated

As in previous years, race and race-related grounds continue to be the most cited reasons for reporting (N=64, 51% of verified reports), followed by sexual orientation (N=26, 21%). Gender identity and ethnic origin followed closely (N=23 each, 18%). No reports were verified for age, failure to accommodate, family status, marital status, or reprisal.

What LDSB is doing in response

LDSB uses reporting data, student census and school climate surveys, along with the Equity Team Action Plan (2025–2028) to identify patterns, target support, and track progress over time.

1.      Affirming Identities

What the data shows: Students experience harm related to race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability.

What LDSB is doing:

These actions support the Board’s responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code by helping to prevent and address discrimination and harassment, and by fostering inclusive school environments where students can participate fully in learning.

• Created and shared calendar with dates of significance and faith-based recognition
• Established student affinity groups (KSS, NDSS, LSS, FSS, and LCVI)
• Designing and supporting elementary arts-education programming that recognizes and affirms students’ intersectional identities (i.e. Dance’N’Culture)
• Embedding professional development related to incorporating Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP), assessment and evaluation (Elementary Literacy, Social Studies, Kindergarten programming, NTIP) 
• CRRP resource creation and sharing, in collaboration with ETFO Limestone, connected to affirming 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, amplifying Black Canadian artists and perspectives and creating CRRP-grounded discussion guides
• Hosting Ruthy’s Reading Room, and purchasing copies of texts by Black-Canadian authors highlighted in the Storytime session (building representation within classroom libraries)
• Introducing an Elementary Equity and Inclusion Lending Library, recognizing the importance of representation in learning materials, and embedding identity-affirming texts (i.e., Sankofa Black Heritage Book Packages)
• Ongoing monthly and weekly resources shared and stored on Human Rights and Equity SharePoint site including teaching resources, educator guides and LDSB opportunities related to equity and human rights related dates and staff and student learning
• Black History Month events, traveling exhibit, student affinity groups and field trip, GSA Day and support, Black Hair Workshop, Panel of Excellence, SHINE Club partnership
• Creation of affinity and social justice toolkits (Grades 6–12), Canadian Black History professional development, and Black, Indigenous, and Racialized Career Day

How we will know it is helping:

• More students report feeling a sense of belonging and identity affirmation at school through data from student census and school climate surveys
• Increased participation in affinity groups and identity-affirming activities (Grades 7–12)

What this means for students: Students are more likely to feel seen, respected, and safe being themselves at school.

2. Human Rights Learning

What the data shows: Ongoing concerns related to discriminatory language, racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia.

What LDSB is doing:

This work aligns with the Ontario Human Rights Code by building shared understanding of protected grounds and by equipping staff and students to interrupt discriminatory language and behaviour before it escalates into harassment or exclusion.

• Creation of Anti-Black Racism Suspension Modules for grades 7 to 12
• Delivery of Human Rights in Athletics presentation for all LDSB KASSAA athletes Launch the Words Matter Pilot and the Words Matter Limestone Network
• Hosted a Grade 7/8 Student Symposium focused on mental health, digital well-being, and artificial intelligence
• Provided primary-grade resources on addressing microaggressions
• Peer to Peer: STOP the Hate Anti-Bullying Program for grades 6,7, and 8
• Continuing to build an Educator Resource Bank of Human Rights and Equity Slide Decks (Addressing Discrimination and Microaggressions), supporting whole-class instruction and promoting consistent understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), along with upstander skill development (Primary, Junior, Intermediate).
• Providing Administrators with modules designed for use following specific incidents involving discriminatory language, aimed to deepen student understanding of the impact of harm caused by their actions,

How we will know it is helping:

• Schools use shared language and consistent expectations (e.g., through Words Matter)
• • Students using consistent interruption strategies, practiced in whole class/site learning
  • Decrease in repeated incidents of harm
• More students participate in learning about human rights and inclusion

What this means for students: Students experience fewer incidents of harm and benefit from safer, more respectful learning environments.

3. Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP)

What the data shows: Race, identity, and culture strongly shape student experiences at school.

What LDSB is doing:

By strengthening culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy, LDSB helps meet its Ontario Human Rights Code obligations to provide equitable access to education and to reduce systemic barriers that can disadvantage students on Code-protected grounds.

• Implementation of Black Canadian History curriculum (Grades 7, 8, and 10)
• Launch of revised curriculum with more focus on Black History, the Holocaust, and Holodomor
• Pilot the Your Voice is Power program (elementary), engaging students through music, storytelling, and technology while centering Indigenous voices and perspectives
• Provide CRRP professional learning for educators (NTIP, ECE)
• Use of resource selection tools to support inclusive teaching

How we will know it is helping:

• Implementation of curriculum reflects a wider range of student identities
• Stronger connections between students’ lives and learning

What this means for students: Students see themselves in what they learn and how they are taught.

4. Families and Community Partnerships

What the data shows: Families often report concerns on behalf of their children and want transparency and follow-up.

What LDSB is doing:

Clear, accessible communication and meaningful consultation help the Board uphold the Ontario Human Rights Code by supporting fair processes, timely response, and inclusive engagement for students and families impacted by discrimination or harassment.

• Create a Family Guide to Human Rights in LDSB to explain how to report and follow up on concerns
• Consult with community groups on administrative procedures and guidelines. (e.g., CEAC, Umoja, PIC)

How we will know it is helping:

• Families continue to use the reporting process and participate in consultation opportunities
• Community input is reflected in Board actions and communication

What this means for students: Stronger school–family relationships lead to better support for students. Inclusive schools build belonging and improve learning outcomes for every student.

Challenges and next steps

LDSB is committed to continuous improvement. The actions above focus on prevention, learning, and stronger relationships; however, the reporting data also points to system-level challenges that must be addressed to ensure students who experience harm receive timely, consistent support.

• Because implementation happens across many schools and roles, consistency can vary. Ongoing monitoring, coaching, and shared tools are needed to support high-quality practice system-wide and to meet Ontario Human Rights Code expectations for consistent, non-discriminatory learning environments.
• As a system, more dedicated time and resources are often directed to prevention, education of the student who caused harm, and training than to follow-up supports for students who have been impacted by harm. Strengthening response capacity such as timely check-ins, counselling and mental health supports, safety planning, academic accommodations where needed, and clear pathways to specialized supports helps the Board respond to discrimination and harassment in ways that align with its responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
• A high number of reports remaining unassigned or not marked as closed at year-end limits transparency and learning. Strengthening documentation and closure processes will improve data quality, support clearer communication about outcomes, and reinforce fair and accountable responses consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
• School-based teams manage competing priorities. Clear role definitions, clear timelines for investigations and follow-up, and reaching out to central staff for support and consultation can reduce delays and improve consistency. These are key elements of meeting Ontario Human Rights Code obligations for timely response when discrimination or harassment is reported.
• Families who report concerns need timely updates and clear, plain-language information about next steps and outcomes. Strengthening communication and feedback loops is essential to building trust, improving the reporting process, and supporting accessible, fair procedures aligned with the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Resources

• Student Human Rights Reports 2024-2025 (PDF)

[1] Other Issue indicates that while the concern requires follow up, it does not meet the criteria for a human rights complaint or a Safe Schools incident.

[2] Safe Schools incidents include bullying and cyberbullying, and any threats to the safety of the school community including crime, a violent incident, or an environmental concern