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Director’s Desk: October Edition

Dear HWDSB Community,  

October invites us to pause, reflect, and act. This month, we recognize both Women’s History Month and the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). For me as HWDSB’s first female Director of Education, these commemorations are an opportunity to honour history, reflect on our responsibilities, and recommit ourselves to creating safer, more equitable schools and workplaces.  

While incredibly significant, the ruling did not include or benefit Indigenous women, women of Asian heritage, women with disabilities, or other marginalized groups who continued to face significant legal and social barriers. Many Black and other women of color also faced significant delays in gaining the right to vote at both provincial and federal levels, with some restrictions not lifted until the late 1940s. First Nations women were excluded from voting in federal elections until 1960, decades after the Persons Case.

So while the landmark ruling in the Persons Case opened doors that had long been closed, it also reminds me that progress comes through disruption, struggle, and perseverance. The strength of those who refused to accept exclusion, and injustice lights the way toward hope and greater freedoms. Their courage inspires us to continue advancing dignity and human rights for women in all HWDSB schools, learning and workspaces, and in our communities.

At the same time, we must hold this milestone in tension with a deeply unjust truth: while the Persons Case advanced rights for some women, our colonial structures continued to deny rights, dignity, and safety to Indigenous women, girls, and communities. This reality is brought into sharp focus each October during the National Day of Action for MMIWG, a solemn reminder of the violence, systemic inequities, and racism that persist. At HWDSB, we acknowledge this painful truth with deep respect and responsibility, and we are committed to walking alongside Indigenous partners in the pursuit of justice, healing, and reconciliation. At the same time, we recognize and honour the relentless joy, strength, and spirit of Indigenous families and communities—expressed through culture, ceremony, language, and love—which continue to guide and inspire the path forward. 

In both commemorations, we find lessons of resilience and calls to action. Gratitude teaches us to honour those who came before us. Reflection asks us to confront injustice honestly. Action challenges us to use our voices, resources, and commitments to make change.  

At HWDSB, this action is reflected in our Multi-Year Strategic Plan, where advancing Human Rights and Indigenous Education are central priorities. More importantly, this commitment lives in our schools, learning, and workspaces every day as we take steps to learn, unlearn, and move forward—building and upholding a more just public education system for every student. 

As we move through October, let us hold close the knowledge that progress is possible. History shows us that barriers can be broken. Partnerships remind us that healing and justice can be pursued together. And hope inspires us to build schools and communities where every student can thrive with dignity, safety, and possibility. 

With gratitude and determination,

Sheryl Robinson Petrazzini
Director of Education