Tracy Chapman deserves every bit of praise coming her way, as does Luke Combs. Can't we just enjoy the song?
Let students and parents talk openly about their reading choices rather than have a school board decide.
April 4, 2023 changed a lot for me - and I'm working on pulling up past it.
Life has a habit of throwing curve balls. Why not curve a bit yourself?
If someone could at least put their current goals in print, that'd be swell.
I've learned a lot in writing about diabetes over the last few years. We still need to learn more.
Are the COVID vaccines controversial? Sure. Do I support them? Sure. Do I support people's right to choose whether they have the vaccine? Let's investigate.
It's very bleak right now, but we have to grab on to the good in the world.
It's a virus. Put a bunch of people in close quarters with the flu and limited protection, and I'll bet the flu will spread like wildfire, too.
Being strictly online, as many school districts across Canada are right now as a result of COVID-19 and its spread, has taken its toll.
Some claiming to protest against the Ontario government's ongoing closure of a range of small businesses due to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic should examine their approach.
A provincial stay-at-home order is on the cusp of being ordered again, but are all regions the issue?
Ontario premier Doug Ford claims - rightfully - that the province doesn't need paid sick days as there's a federal benefit. Here's why that's problematic.
The emergency brake is necessary, but what, exactly, is changing? Meanwhile, the mental health of many Ontarians - as well as the health of so many businesses - continues to suffer.
Is it happening? Is it canceled? Are we going back after if it does happen? Ford doesn't want to "predict two weeks out," but why does everyone else get a break?
Businesspeople having breakdowns. Teachers struggling to stay motivated and "on" for their students. Pandemic fatigue isn't just for frontline workers anymore.
British Columbia father ordered to try and understand gender dysphoria, engages in harmful language when it comes to his son's desire to transition.
Even with the flu vaccine, there's still a chance you can transmit the illness.
While none of us may be feeling particularly strong and empowered with the pandemic, it's our strength that has gotten us this far.
It seems Ontario Deputy Education Minister Nancy Naylor, Education Minister Stephen Lecce, and Premier Doug Ford feel COVID will magically disappear and everyone will be fine.
While we could argue that there is light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, kids need help now.
If what was "locked down" made any sort of sense, there would be more support, but nothing really makes sense right now.
This is now bordering on the sublimely ridiculous.
Losing a job is tough. Being told your job is cut through a Zoom, Slack or Google Meet? Unimaginable.
Teachers, students and parents have had to pivot from in-class learning to online learning with virtually no training, have had to adapt to students being in class and online at the same time, and have had to deal with the no-contact clause that is COVID-19. We all need a break - NOW.
There have been arguments for and against cancelling March Break in Ontario in 2021. I'm hoping for the best and prepared for the worst because I don't have a choice.
Has anything actually changed as far as safety in schools? I doubt it.
Wear one. Wear it properly. Please.
We're all struggling - are we surprised that our youth are especially having a hard time?
I understand we are dealing with a serious and deadly virus, but kids need their peers, their teachers, and their classrooms.
I wouldn't want the stress of a nurse, doctor, or pharmacist right now, but isn't education essential?
It's been one day, and I'm already worrying about my kids.
Paramedics are often those who are first on the scene, and now, there are greater considerations with every call.
Ontario's finance minister and director of media relations are reportedly out of Ontario AFTER Premier Doug Ford cautioned against out-of-province travel for Ontario residents.
Menières Disease is, as near as I can figure, an affliction which affects the inner ear, mostly. I could only imagine the stress those who have it feel when they deal with a flare up of the disease.
A new lockdown is ahead for Ontario, and while we don't know the exact details, what we do know is we don't want this to be long term.
Immunizations, even when a part of an immunization schedule as issued by a governing health authority, aren't mandatory in Canada - there are exemptions - but what's in a name? Plenty, it seems.
The trial is still ongoing, but two perpetrators have gotten two years of probation while the victims will live a lifetime of trauma. How is that fair?
The simple review of an English assignment got me thinking.
Adam Skelly, owner of Adamson Barbecue in Etobicoke, Ontario, has made much of his desire to remain open, implying he wants to show Premier Ford "who runs Ontario." But is there more to his civil disobedience than that?
Has anyone else noticed how quick we are to attack and judge each other right now?
The stigma and outright hatred and violence faced by trans populations still exists, but why? As Depeche Mode once said, "People are people."
World Kindness Day was two days ago, but that doesn't mean we can't sprinkle that kindness glitter everywhere.
I, like so many others, will miss this lion of a man.
I am one of many who are thrilled that Trump is going to be gone. However, America has a long way to go before Trump is actually out of the White House.
The US election is historic in many ways, and our kids, who are frankly largely disappointed, are watching.
We're all in the midst of a global pandemic, where the rules have been largely unwritten and we're still trying to figure things out. Management of a condition such as diabetes can become more challenging during it.
Much has changed, yet teachers and students are all adapting like champs.
We need to celebrate the act of coming out; it's not as easy as you might figure.
With ever-changing policies as the education world strives to keep up with COVID-19 and a desire to keep school as "normal" as possible, educators have more on their plate than ever.
Comedian and podcaster Dax Shepard admitted during his podcast that after 16 years of sobriety, he'd relapsed. Can we just acknowledge how hard that must have been?
Going to school in the midst of a global pandemic is a mixed bag of emotions. Panic will make things worse. Reality won't; it can be frightening enough.
Does any of this even "look" like the plan is working so far, Mr. Ford?
Just because 2020 has been a dumpster fire of a year most of the time doesn't mean your anxiety is unjustified in other times.
Given Ontario's minister of education, Stephen Lecce, has no clue what happens in a publicly funded classroom, I am not shocked he thinks teachers are inflexible. I'd like to offer some insight.
Fear. Worry. Relief. More worry. Thrusting independence upon those who may not be ready. What it could look like for teachers, parents, and kids.
As a teacher and parent, I can safely say that destreaming Grade 9 is probably the worst idea I've heard.
There have been several articles about how a partial back to school plan is going to be awful for working parents. Can we all say, "No duh?"
I'm not saying all police are thoughtful upholders of truth and justice, but we can't erase cops from all facets of society, either.
This has perhaps been one of the toughest scholastic years in Canada, particularly now for the graduating class of 2020. It's not been any easier on the teachers.
Recent ruling sparks outrage and feels like several steps back.
My kids might not be heading out to the protests, but they are trying to learn.
You may not know what to say, or how to say what you want, but you have the power to begin to change the world.
George Floyd. Regis Korchinski-Paquet. Police forces potentially under fire from all angles. Why is this a recurrent theme in our world?
I may not understand all the time what all the terms mean, but I will support my students, friends and family who identify along the LGBTQ spectrum.
Ontario's education minister thanks "some" educators in recent press conference amid ongoing push for online synchronous learning.
Nothing will be solved or cured overnight; that's why we need to keep fighting against such discrimination.
This news is almost as shocking as the news that kids are bored during quarantine!
People were actually paid to find out what we already know? Really?
Here in Canada, we've only been locked down for almost two months and yet, we're struggling to keep our heads straight. Enter new hobbies.
One loose shoelace shakes my mojo.
Premier François Legault has said elementary schools will reopen May 11. The question is, why?
Drunk driver who killed 4 granted day parole, mother, daughter of victims notes that she "did her best."
First April 6, then May 4, and now May 31. Other provinces have said students and staff won't return before September 2020 at the earliest; why hasn't Ontario?
A worldwide pandemic doesn't mean we have to stop living.
What is normal going to look like by the time life starts getting back to normal, anyhow?
How much will education change longterm because of this virus?
In all seriousness, we are struggling. So are our extroverted children.
It's a high-stress time. It's not time to abuse those helpers.
Things I have learned during my first pandemic.
Daughter, sister, mom, friend.
Out of the mouth of an Ontario student.
Could you imagine attacking health care workers, police, firefighters, plumbers and other unionized workers with the ferocity people attack educators?
If Lecce's March 3, 2020 announcement actually happened at the bargaining table, that would have been amazing. It didn't.
Slip by Ontario government lawyer at Ontario Labour Relations Board hearing only illustrates the Minister of Education's - and perhaps even Premier Doug Ford's - disdain for this valuable foundation in a child's education.
The LCBO Is the latest in
The argument has shifted from compensation to hiring practices in the Ontario government's war on education. Why?
There's important information you need to know about the people that generally spend more time with your kids than they do with their own.
Young children learn faster than Doug Ford and his government. In the Ford government's battle with educator unions, there have been a few lies here and there, including statements regarding the Vaughan Working Families group and texts to Doug Ford regarding educator strikes.
Stop the lying. Stop the spin. We've had enough. Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce are deliberately misleading the public, and they are cutting education and healthcare instead of less vital areas of funding.
Whether you support Bell or not, #BellLetsTalk day is important.
Mamba. Player. Husband. Dad. Human.
I don't have an unexamined life. If anything, I'm examining it a lot.
Money to reimburse parents while teachers strike, but no money or desire to return to the bargaining table?
The Ontario government is playing a dangerous game, and it's our kids who will take the hit.
My wants are fairly simple. The execution? Probably not so much.
Lourd lost her mother, Carrie Fisher, Dec. 27, 2016 and her grandmother Debbie Reynolds one day later.
Coolest, most honorable move ever by the 'Star Wars' powers that be.
There were many haters for 'The Last Jedi.' I wasn't one of them.
It's taken me a few days to process what one of my favorite authors actually said. What J.K. Rowling tweeted on December 19, 2019, has left me sorely disappointed.
Three teens were given two years' probation for their role in assaults and sexual assaults at St. Michael's College School in Toronto, Canada. It's not right. Why are these boys not going to jail?
Regardless of how you feel about climate change, you've got to admit that Thunberg is at least responding like a fairly typical teenager.
As someone who grew up with more than a passing familiarity with shame, the word engenders some strong feelings.
It's hard to say if we've learned anything from the Montreal Massacre. Canada's worst mass shooting to date is now being acknowledged as a gender-based act of violence. But has gender-based violence in the world improved at all in the past 30 years?
I and other Ontario teachers took a stand against the unjust cuts that students are now paying the price for. The Ford government has introduced harmful policies that we will not stand for, including changing classroom sizes and making e-learning mandatory.
For many, Christmas and the holidays are a joyous time. For others, it can be the worst possible time of year.
We still need to keep people informed about AIDS.
The internet erupted when President Donald Trump posted, without explanation, an image that appeared to show his head on what is widely believed to be Sylvester Stallone's body in "Rocky III"—an image that Team Trump is now denying is doctored.
The charming star of "Frozen" and "The Good Place" becomes a model for mental health openness.
Michael Del Grande's comments on the Toronto Catholic District School Board code of conduct generated a firestorm of complaints. A TCDSB trustee is learning that inclusivity is no joke.
Grief is impossibly hard as adults; imagine navigating that as a child.
This article discusses the importance of Transgender Day of Remembrance—a day for recognizing a population that needs to be seen and acknowledging the perpetual discrimination against and murders of transgender and gender-diverse people.
Can time and choices really change your view of yourself?
In a world grown increasingly more jaded and cynical, we have to grab onto every shred of kindness we see.
Honoring veterans shouldn't be a one-day-a-year thing.
Whether it's good or bad, we carry what our parents say and do.
Parents seem to be excited about the cell phone ban in the classroom, and the Ford government has hyped it quite a bit. Here's why nothing is going to change - at least for now.
My anxiety will probably look different than yours. That's a promise.
Board subcommittee votes 4-1 against including protections against discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression, marital status and family status, contravenes Human Rights Code.
My 10-year-old is a drag queen in the making
We all need to feel seen.
If the government can't get its debt down, how can Canadians be expected to bring their own individual debts to zero? An analysis of the debt crisis in Canada.
It's critical to vote, but perhaps the time has come to research the parties on your own instead of listening to the campaigns that become insult-slinging messes between candidates.
I wish we lived in a world where your sexuality or gender identity didn't matter to anyone—but the truth of the matter is we still have kids and adults who are struggling for acceptance. Coming out matters, even if it's just to yourself.
We have to understand we're not defined by our mental health conditions.
Matthew Shepard's story is one that continues to be relevant. His story needs to be told.
Growth takes work, but less work than fear.
Legislators in the United States need to collectively push to say "enough" and actually enact laws where mass shootings don't keep happening at an incredibly high frequency.
Why can't we just leave well enough alone?
I have had enough with you, Cancer.
Not everyone can afford to go to school without a loan of some sort.
June 6, 1944. A day like no other.
More than 50 years after Stonewall, the struggle for LGBTQ rights and acceptance continues. Love is love, no matter the color of the rainbow.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his posse tabled important legislation to focus on making beer available in convenience stores. With apologies to 1990s exercise guru Susan Powter for acquiring her mantra, Ford Nation needs to "stop the insanity."
Imagine having no family to reach out to for help, or housing that could take months to kick in. Now imagine you're homeless, and you have kids to support and keep safe.
If you're not "one of them," you're clearly not part of "the people."
Gay-Straight Alliances exist to give kids a safe space. Outing them to parents, even for the simple reason of joining the club as an ally, is unsafe.
There have been hundreds, if not a couple of thousand at this point, of teachers declared redundant in Ontario. Doug Ford needs to think about what kids need to graduate before he slashes and burns more classes.
It's been roughly a century since the last general strike in Canada.
Neither students nor teachers are going to "go gentle into that good night," to paraphrase Dylan Thomas.
Ontario premier Doug Ford warns teachers not to strike, moves to merge 59 ambulance services into 10 while promising there will be the same number of paramedics. We're in trouble.
An iconic example of French Gothic architecture, Notre Dame Cathedral has been an indomitable presence on the French landscape. Now, France's prayers and its strength will bring its beloved church back after a devastating fire.
Ontario finance minister Vic Fedeli said the government is protecting what matters most. Let's look at that, shall we?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is apparently now worried about teachers radicalizing students.
Student organizers suggest chess match with Premier Doug Ford after he and education minister Lisa Thompson say students who participated in #StudentsSayNo are union pawns.
Some 150 busloads of educators descended on Queen's Park
Ontario Education Minister Lisa Thompson shouldn't discount today's kids - or their intelligence.
Millions for horse racing, God knows how much to switch license plate mottos, but money for education?
Let's raise awareness, and honor the heroes that are people with Down Syndrome (and those that work with them).
The former radio host shares grief, warmth, and compassion while discussing the unthinkable.
I've seen stories throughout the years about stolen dogs. Why?
From my girls at home, to my friends at work, to my friends at the dojo, you are amazing.
While I was never a fan, his death makes me and many others realize once again that time is far too short.
The current - and scary - viral trend that's resurfaced.
You're playing with kids' futures. We will remember.
Pink Shirt Day has existed for years, yet people continue to get bullied regularly. Why haven't we learned to stop bullying altogether?
It's about being human.
There comes a time where you just can't take anymore.
We need to realize that mental health is just health and shouldn't be stigmatized.
A trip to a concentration camp as a teenager leaves a lingering impression.
The stress level and the bags under students' eyes tell me it's that not-so-wonderful time of year.
A Christmas gift leads to an unexpected question.
Loneliness is neither good nor bad. Sometimes, it's just there.
The question needs to be asked: why were you Googling the word 'idiot' in the first place, Congresswoman?
Never mind his questionable decisions or seeming lack of moral compass - Trump's ongoing grammatical and spelling issues make him look even more unprofessional and immature.
I didn't expect to love #RuPaulsDragRace, but dang, Michelle Visage and RuPaul are fantastic!
TDoR should be on everyone's radar. No one should have to suffer just for being who they are.
While Ontario's current "Progressive" Conservative government has just passed a resolution to debate the recognition of gender identity, it would seem that at least some of Ontario's population is ready to fight.
Whether we're talking the expense of it, the quality of life that can be a challenge to maintain, or just the fact that the numbers of people with diabetes are estimated to climb, we have to keep talking about it.
You don't want to be afraid - you really don't - but there it is, stuck to you like a shadow when something happens.
Veterans across Canada are struggling after they get out of the military. How do we support them?
An incident at a Jack White concert in Edmonton teaches an employee about respect, me about grace and forgiveness.
Remove your hat, stand if you're able, and put the phone away.
While marijuana does have its benefits, I can't get past the smell.
Given what we know about marijuana, a 28-day recreational use ban may not be a bad thing for police.
When women wait to report assaults, they're derided and bullied for it. When women report right away, they also get bullied. There's no ideal time to report, but in the wake of the Kavanaugh hearings, it became clearer why more women don't come forward.
An editorial cartoon based on Dr. Blasey Ford's testimony of sexual assault shook many women. It wasn't just about the Kavanaugh hearing, though.
Premier Ford's use of the notwithstanding clause smacks of bullying, but it's really (probably) sour grapes.
Anthony Bourdain. Kate Spade. Chester Bennington. The list is ever expanding, and there has to be more we can do.
Big changes for some kids this year. Some will find it easier than others. Hang in there.
Another gunman opens fire. More young people die. Sick of these headlines yet, United States?
What's happening with the upcoming "consultations?" What's going on with the health and physical education curriculum? Only your premier knows for sure.
For some kids, school still causes unbelieveable anxiety.
If you can't say something nice, why are you saying it?
A new experience started out as frustrating but ended positively.
Ford's forgetting about what's most important.
The 2015 Health and Physical Education Curriculum was officially scrapped for the 2018-2019 school year. Then came the pushback.
What compels someone to just start shooting? Are things ever that bad, or are people just getting more desperate?
Dictionaries are having a field day following the #TrumpPutinSummit.
Going back to a curriculum that's two decades old is not fair to our kids.
An amazing song, incredible lyrics, and a trip to #Wicked reminds me of the importance of taking chances.
It doesn't matter how old you are. We still need our superheroes.
My oldest has done it nearly 10 years. I've been doing it nearly 7 or so, as has my youngest. I wouldn't change a thing.
Unless I'm going to Pet Smart or other likeminded store, or I'm going on a family vacation, my dog stays home.
What do teachers do during the summer? Anything but relax. Sure, there's some downtime, but really, not a whole lot. Are you a teacher who's trying to plan their summer? Or are you a student wondering what your teacher does when you're not around? Either way, read on for more info.
There was another shooting in the U.S. and there were two different responses to it.
Social media should be a part of a leader's routine every so often. But Trump makes regular use of Twitter, and it begs the question: doesn't he have anything better to do?
It takes a team to educate kids, both as a parent and as a teacher.