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New Report Reveals that At Majority of Ontarios School Boards, Each School Principal Is a Law Unto Themselves, With Arbitrary Power to Exclude a Student From School Real Risk of a Rash of Exclusion of Some Students with Disabilities When Schools Re-Open

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ALLIANCE
NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 23, 2020 Toronto: Parents of a third of a million Ontario K-12 students with disabilities have much to fear when schools re-open. A ground-breaking report by the non-partisan AODA Alliance (unveiled today, summary below) shows that for much of Ontario, each school principal is a law unto themselves, armed with a sweeping, arbitrary power to refuse to allow a student to come to school. If schools re-open this fall, there is a real risk of a rash of principals excluding some students with disabilities from school, because well-intentioned, overburdened principals wont know how to accommodate them during COVID-19.

New Report Reveals that At Majority of Ontarios School Boards, Each School Principal Is a Law Unto Themselves, With Arbitrary Power to Exclude a Student From School Real Risk of a Rash of Exclusion of Some Students with Disabilities When Schools Re-Open. Read full article.

Three Recommendations for Accessible Remote Learning

Posted: July 17, 2020
by Jackie Pichette and Jessica Rizk

Adapting to the realities of remote schooling has been challenging. Since the COVID-19 pandemic sent our province into a state of emergency, many students have had to turn bedrooms into offices, kitchen tables into classrooms and parking lots into hotspots. While all Ontario learners have had to adapt to overcome barriers, those barriers have been amplified for many students with disabilities.

Three Recommendations for Accessible Remote Learning. Read full article.

The Dangers of E-Scooters

By: John Rae
July 15, 2020
Editor’s Note: This article is based on John Rae’s Presentation to the City of Toronto Infrastructure and Environment Committee, July 9, 2020

Chair Pasternak and members of the committee, I appear in opposition to any introduction of e-scooters in Toronto.

I am blind. I live in downtown Toronto. I’m age 71. Toronto has always been my home city, and I love our city.

The Dangers of E-Scooters. Read full article.

Toronto Infrastructure Committee Told E-Scooters Would Endanger the Public

Toronto City Council Infrastructure Committee Is Warned that to Allow Electric Scooters Would Pose Dangers to Public Safety and to Accessibility for People with Disabilities While the City’s Officers Have No Real Capacity to Enforce New E-Scooter Regulations if Adopted

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ALLIANCE
NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toronto Infrastructure Committee Told E-Scooters Would Endanger the Public. Read full article.

Brief to: The City of Toronto Infrastructure and Environment Committee

Brief From: John Rae
Subject: Opposition to the Introduction of E-Scooters on Toronto Streets Date: July 29, 2020

Introduction:

My name is John Rae. I am totally blind, a long time human rights advocate, and a member of the Boards of three disability rights organizations, including the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC). I live in downtown Toronto. I am opposed to the introduction of E-scooters onto the streets of Toronto or elsewhere in Canada.

Brief to: The City of Toronto Infrastructure and Environment Committee. Read full article.