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OHRC to engage educators and professionals for its Right to Read inquiry

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May 1, 2020

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TORONTO – Today, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) launched a survey for educators and other professionals who have experience with reading disabilities, as part of its inquiry into human rights issues that affect students with reading disabilities in Ontario’s public education system.

This survey, available on the OHRC website, is an opportunity for educators and professionals, including teachers, principals, tutors, pediatricians, speech-language pathologists, psychologists and social workers to share their perspectives and provide information to help the OHRC understand and report on the experiences of students with reading disabilities in Ontario public schools. It will also help the OHRC assess whether public schools are using scientific evidence-based approaches to give students with reading disabilities meaningful access to education as required by the Ontario Human Rights Code.

“Hearing the experiences of educators and other professionals who work with students with reading disabilities is crucial to our Right to Read inquiry,” said OHRC Chief Commissioner Renu Mandhane. “It will help us understand what is happening on the ground in schools across the province, and what they think should be happening to meet the right to read. I encourage education professionals throughout Ontario to complete the survey.”

Since the OHRC launched the Right to Read inquiry in October 2019, it has heard from thousands of students, parents, guardians, teachers and educators through its online survey for students, parents and guardians, four public hearings (Brampton, London, Thunder Bay and Ottawa), one community meeting (Kenora), three Indigenous listening circles (London, Thunder Bay and Kenora), organization submissions, emails, meetings, telephone calls, artwork, and social media. The OHRC has also requested documents, data and information relevant to the inquiry from eight school boards it identified as a representative sample and from all 13 Faculties of Education in Ontario.

The OHRC plans to release a formal report on findings and recommendations later in 2020.

Resources

Survey for educators and other professionals
OHRC public inquiry into human rights issues affecting students with reading disabilities webpage
Terms of reference
Right to Read inquiry into reading disabilities backgrounder
Inquiry privacy policy

Media contact:
Rosemary Parker
Communications & Issues Management
Ontario Human Rights Commission/Commission ontarienne des droits de la personne
647-202-7460  rosemary.parker@ohrc.on.ca