She doesn't want anything discussed regarding human rights and what students can wear (ie. tank tops.. etc. ) because we are finally getting kids under control with dress code.

Do kids have human rights? Do kids have the right to know about human rights? The note above was received from...

Bullying is a terrible problem. It is clear that bullying can have tragic consequences. Bullies come in many shapes and sizes, in many ages, and from many walks of life. We need to be vigilant and we need to work toward solutions. But we must also avoid looking for simplistic...

Why stop at red lights?

In my part of Toronto, I have noticed a new understanding of traffic regulation. Stop if it is convenient to do so, but if you are in a hurry, forget about it.

In fact, I have recommended that children be taught to watch...

While the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not specifically protect a freedom to teach, many understand freedom of expression to be a two-ended right. In other words, it is impossible to censor the expression of only one person. If I do not hear what you want to tell...

What does Yertle the Turtle have in common with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms? Excerpts from both have been banned from appearing on T-shirts in schools -- for being too political.

Dr. Suess published Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories in 1958 as a kind...

In Ontario, our children know that something is happening to make teachers and parents unhappy. Some children are unsure, on certain days, whether they will be attending classes as usual. They may have seen teachers walking a picket line, and if their families tune into the news, they are listening...

Do your kids march around the living room with picket signs when they want a later bed time or an increase in allowance? A colleague from Buenos Aires tells me that this is considered normal childhood behaviour in her community. While the children on the domestic picket lines may not...

Is your child crazy about Mo Willem's book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus? I know a few four-year-olds who won't go to bed without it. But did you ever think that this book could be a great tool for teaching kids about the importance of policy?

Apart...

Who are the poor? Are they the people in Africa our North American teenagers go to help? Are they the people in our neighbourhoods who use the food bank?

One local CBC radio station celebrates an annual event called "Sounds of the Season." For an entire day,...

Is your child a complainer? Do you hear "that's not fair!" everyday? If so, it's time to celebrate. Your child could be the next advocate who stands up to bullies; the one who works toward a solution for climate change, or who fights for access to justice or against inequality.

Like it or not, teachers are responsible for the survival of democracy. They are often the first people, and in some cases, the ONLY people to introduce each new generation to the habits and virtues of democracy. But what do we mean when we talk about teachers and democracy?

Are...

Recently, my four-year-old granddaughter told me that she did not want to play in the school yard on a Sunday afternoon. When I asked her why not, she told me she was afraid of bullies. Sounds like normal kid stuff until you realize that she had never before been in...

Recently, a Brampton, Ontario public school took several students to task for their behaviour. The school had a rule: "No loving, no shoving." The young women who were disciplined had engaged in a now popular middle-school pastime -- hugging. While earlier generations may see a hug as an...

This week in Nova Scotia, a grade 12 student was suspended from his high school for persistently wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words, "Life is wasted without Jesus."

He was told that some teachers and students in the school were offended by the words on his...

When the Canadian Charter of Right and Freedoms became the law of the land in 1982, little did we know what a handy teaching tool it would become. As we mark the Charter's 30th birthday, I would like to illustrate ways in which it can and is used as an...