Days of Significance: a Curriculum Resource 2007–2008

Home , Cambodian New Year, Enkutatash, Red Storey

Days of Significance: A Curriculum Resource 2007–2008

Reproduction of this document for use by schools within the Toronto District School Board is encouraged.

For anyone other than Toronto District School Board staff, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Toronto District School Board. This permission must be requested and obtained in writing from:

Toronto District School Board Tel: 416-397-2595 Library and Learning Resources Fax: 416-395-8357 3 Tippett Road Email: [email protected] Toronto, ON M3H 2V1

Every reasonable precaution has been taken to trace the owners of copyrighted material and to make due acknowledgement. Any omission will gladly be rectified in future printings.

This document has been reviewed for equity.

Acknowledgements

Equity Department, TDSB Human Rights Office, TDSB Library and Learning Resources, TDSB

Special thanks to our community contributors: Another Story Bookstore; City of Toronto: Social Policy Analysis and Research (SPAR); Encounter World Religions; Far Eastern Books; Ontario Multifaith Council; Scarborough Missions;

Thank you to members of the Planning Team: Patricia Hayes, TDSB Human Rights; Wayne Lee, Equity, TDSB; Joy Reiter, Principal, Kingsview Village Public School, TDSB; Maggie Rose, Social and World Studies and The Humanities; Moira Wong, Equity, TDSB

Cover: The Interfaith Banner from

This banner portrays the holy symbols of many of the world's religions. Below is a description of the symbols and their meanings.

UPPER ROW, left to right: Great Goddess From the ancient Middle Eastern tradition, this Goddess image and many like it were the earliest known religious symbols, and represent the fertile Mother from which life springs. African Goddess The Aku Aba is a Goddess symbol used for good luck in many parts of Africa, and is especially worn by women and children as a charm to lend protection, fertility, and good fortune. It is from the Ashanti tribe in Nigeria. Mayan The Hunab Ku symbol represents the centre of our Galaxy. The complex and highly developed Mayan system of astrology is based on our relationship at our birth with this center. The Mayan tradition is an ancient Native set of beliefs from Central America. Native American Medicine Wheel The four directions of the east, south, west, and north are honoured in the wheel of life, hung with sacred eagle feathers. These primal directions represent the stages of energy cycles such as the cycles of time: spring, summer, fall, winter. Hindu Om The OM is the sound of the universal vibration, the primal source from which all creation manifests. It is the mantra mantrika, or “Mother of all sounds,” the first of all creative spells spoken by the world’s original Goddess. The original meaning was “womb.” Buddhist Prayer Wheel The Buddha taught the eightfold path to enlightenment, represented here by a prayer wheel. The paths are right conduct, right contemplation, right effort, right faith, right occupation, right resolve, right self-awareness, and right speech. Jain Jainism contains many elements similar to Hinduism and Buddhism. Nearly all the world’s almost four million Jains are located in India. They practise Ahimsa: non-violence. Taoist Ying Yang The interplay between primal opposites is an eternal dance, such as light/dark, male/female, day/night, life/death, and within the heart of the light is a core of dark, and within the core of darkness lies light. Confucian The social ethics and moral teachings of Confucius are an ethical system to which have been added rituals at important times during one’s lifetime. They deal primarily with individual morality and ethics. This symbol is a Chinese image meaning “Joy together.” There is no official symbol for the Confucian tradition.

LOWER ROW, left to right: Shinto Shinto is an ancient Japanese religion with no written scriptures. Ancestors are deeply revered and worshipped. All human life and human nature are sacred. Tradition and the family are very important. Wicca Wicca is a shamanic nature religion from Europe. Symbolic of life and health in ancient times, the Wiccan pentacle has been used as a strong protective charm. It shows an image of how energy flows through stages of life and corresponds to the five points of the sacred human body. Zoroastrian Flame The sacred fire burns on an altar, representing the light which gives all life. Following the prophet Zoroaster, this tradition emphasizes purity and Divine light. Jewish Star of David The traditional interweaving of the upward pointing and downward pointing triangles represent the unity of earthly and heavenly energies. It also represents the union of God and the Shekina, the male and female energies in harmony. Christian Cross The traditional cross reminds us not only of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, but also of the older symbolism of an intersection of two energy flows, one flowing between earth and heaven, and the other spreading out from side to side, representing the four directions. Winged Sufi Heart The awakened heart, which contains the star of perfected light and the receptiveness of the moon, becomes capable of soaring to the heights of Spirit. Sufism is a mystical path from the Middle East. Islamic Moon and Star This shows the star of perfected light, which can be seen as the perfected human, and the receptiveness of the moon, which allows the light of the Divine to fill it. Islam is a tradition from the Middle East, emphasizing devotion and community. Sikh symbol The circle of unity contains the double-edged sword representing the power of truth, and is surrounded by two curved daggers, representing the act of willingness to defend the faith. Baha’i Star The Baha’i religion is one of the newest of the religions of the prophets, and encourages world peace by teaching tolerance and honoring all paths to God.

Table of Contents Page

Introduction 1

Purpose of Days of Significance: A Curriculum Resource 2007–2008 1

What Is Interfaith Education? 1

What Are the Goals of Interfaith Dialogue? 1

Why Is It Important to Include Interfaith Education in Secular Classrooms and Schools? 2 • Policy/Program Memorandum No. 112 2 • Memorandum of Agreement: Province of Ontario and Ontario Multifaith Council 4 • Excerpts from Guidelines and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances, Toronto District School Board, 2000 7

Facts and Statistics 10

City of Toronto Faith Demographic Maps 10 • Buddhist 11 • Hindu 11 • Jewish 12 • Muslim 12 • Sikh 13 • Aboriginal Spirituality 13

2001 Census: Analysis Series—Religions in Canada 14

Frequently Asked Questions 15

FAQs by Teachers 15 • How do we provide accommodation for our students? • FAQs about Halloween in TDSB Schools

FAQs by School Administrators 19 • How do we create inclusive school environments?

The Toronto District School Board’s Equity Foundation Statement 23

The Toronto District School Board’s Commitment to Equity Policy Implementation 24

A Note to Educators: How to Use the Resources in This Document 26

The Role of Planning: Implementation of the James Banks Model for Days of Significance Curriculum Topics 27

The Role of School and Family of Schools (FOS) Equity Committees 27

Using Equitable Schools: It’s in Our Hands to Set Goals and Action Plans 29

Excerpts from A Teaching Resource for Dealing with Controversial and Sensitive Issues in Toronto District School Board Classrooms: “Role of the Reader” 30

Questions to Consider about Holidays 31

A Suggested Curricular Research Activity for Classes and Schools 32

Suggested Fresh AER (Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting) Strategies 36

Information 37

Resource: Excerpts from An Interfaith Celebration of Spiritual and Religious Care (Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care): 37 • I am a Baha’i… 37 • I am a Muslim… 38 • I am a Buddhist… 38 • I am a Jew… 39 • I am a Jain… 40 • I am a Christian… 41 • I am a Zoroastrian… 41 • I am a Hindu… 42 • I am a Sikh… 43 • I am a Wiccan… 43 • I am a Unitarian Universalist… 44 • Aboriginal World View 45

Calendar Systems 46

A Note on Resources Included in This Guide 47

______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - ii - Days of Significance 2007–2008 2007–2008 Days of Significance ♦ * Holy days usually begin at sundown the day before this date ♦ ** Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.

September 8, 2007: International Day of Literacy (United Nations) 48 September 11, 2007: New Year (Christian – Coptic/Egyptian/Ethiopian) 50 September 13–14, 2007*: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) 51 September 13 – October 13, 2007*: Ramadan (Islam) 53 September 21–22, 2007*: Yom Kippur (Judaism) 55

October 5, 2007: World Teachers’ Day (United Nations) 57 October 8, 2007: Thanksgiving (Canadian) 59 October 12–20, 2007**: Navaratri (Hinduism) 60 October 13, 2007**: Eid-Ul-Fitr (Islam) 61 October 17, 2007: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (United Nations) 63

November 9, 2007**: Diwali (Hinduism/Sikhism/Jain) 66 November 11, 2005: Remembrance Day (Canadian) 68 November 12, 2007: Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) 69 November 16, 2007: Louis Riel Day (Canadian) 70 November 24, 2007: Birthday of Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sikhism) 72

December 3, 2007: International Day of Disabled Persons (United Nations) 73 December 5–12, 2007**: Hanukkah (Judaism) 75 December 6, 2007: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (Canadian) 79 December 20, 2007**: Eid-Ul-Adha (Islam) 82 December 25, 2007: Christmas (Western Christian – Gregorian Calendar) 83 December 26, 2007 – January 1, 2008: Kwanzaa (Canadian/American) 87 December 31, 2007 – January 1, 2008: New Year’s Eve/Day (International) 89

January 5, 2008: Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikhism) 92 January 5–6, 2008: Twelfth Night/Dia de los Reyes/Epiphany (Christian – Western Orthodox) 94 January 8, 2008: Nativity of Jesus Christ (Christian – Coptic/ Eastern Orthodox – Julian Calendar) 95 January 21, 2008: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Canadian/American) 99

February 7, 2008: Lunar New Year (Chinese/Korean/Vietnamese) 102 February 8, 2008: Losar – Tibetan New Year 105

March 8, 2008: International Women’s Day (United Nations) 106 March 21, 2008: Magha Puja Day (Buddhism) 109 March 21, 2008: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations) 110 March 21, 2008: Naw Ruz/Norouz (Baha’i/Persian/Zoroastrian) 115

______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - iii - Days of Significance 2007–2008 March 21–24, 2008: Easter – Good Friday/Easter Monday (Christian – Western Orthodox – Gregorian Calendar) 116 March 22, 2008**: Holi (Hinduism) 119

April 6, 2008**: New Year (Hinduism) 120 April 13, 2008: Baisakhi (Hinduism/Sikhism/Buddhism) 121 April 13–14, 2008: Sinhala and Tamil New Year 122 April 21–27, 2008*: Passover (Judaism) 123 April 25/27, 2008: Easter – Holy Friday/Easter (Christian – Coptic/ Eastern Orthodox – Julian Calendar) 125 April 28, 2008: National Day of Mourning (Canadian) 128

May 2, 2008: Yom HaShoah (Judaism) 131 May 20, 2008: Buddha Day/Visakha/Puja Wesak/Wesah (Buddhism) 134 May 29, 2008: Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) 136

June 15–24, 2008: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Two-Spirited Pride Week 137 June 21, 2008: First Nations Day/National Aboriginal Day (Canadian) 140

Community Resource Organizations 143

Interfaith Education Resources 144

Print: TDSB Professional Library Services – A Select List of Current Materials 144

Print: External Sources 147

French Resources 149

Dual-Language Resources 150

Professional Resources for Teachers (Websites) 151

Appendices

Appendix A: Religious Holy Days 2007–2008 152

Appendix B: Religious Holy Days 2008–2009 153

Appendix C: United Nations Days 154

Purpose of Days of Significance: A Curriculum Resource 2007–2008

The Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB’s) Equity Department acknowledges and values the Days of Significance of different countries, religions, and organizations. This document is a collection of dates that are notable for either equity or educational focus, recognized by the United Nations, the Federal Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, and the Multifaith Council of Ontario.

This year’s resource also wishes to emphasize the TDSB’s appreciation of: • each and every student • the partnership of students, schools, family, and community • the uniqueness and diversity of our students and community by providing information of valuable community partners who guide our school communities in the area of interfaith education. Through interfaith education, all of the TDSB community can begin to develop a greater focus on religious pluralism as a contributing major strength in our classrooms and schools while meeting the challenges of pluralism.

What Is Interfaith Education?

Days of Significance: A Curriculum Resource 2007–2008 includes interfaith education resources that promote the following five types of dialogues in classrooms and schools: • Informational Acquiring knowledge of the faith partner's religious history, founding, basic beliefs, scriptures, etc. • Confessional Allowing the faith partners to speak for and define themselves in terms of what it means to live as an adherent • Experiential Dialoguing with faith partners from within the partner’s tradition, worship, and ritual, entering into the feelings of one’s partner and permitting that person's symbols and stories to guide • Relational Developing friendships with individual persons beyond the “business” of dialogue • Practical Collaborating to promote peace and justice (Source: Scarboro Missions, )

What Are the Goals of Interfaith Dialogue?

Interfaith education promotes: • self-knowledge by enriching and rounding out one’s appreciation of one’s own faith tradition, if any • authentic knowledge of others by gaining a caring understanding of others as they are, and not as they are portrayed in caricature and stereotype • establishing a more solid foundation for community of life and action among persons of various traditions.

Why Is It Important to Include Interfaith Education in Secular Classrooms and Schools?

Policy/Program Memorandum No. 112 Issued under the authority of the Deputy Minister of Education Date of December 6, 1990 Effective: January 1, 1991 Issue:

Subject: EDUCATION ABOUT RELIGION IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Application: Chairpersons of Boards of Education Directors of Education of Boards of Education Principals of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

I. Background

On January 30, 1990, the Ontario Court of Appeal unanimously struck down subsection 28(4) of Regulation 262 concerning religious education in the public elementary schools. The court ruled that the subsection infringed on the freedom of conscience and religion guaranteed by section 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Neither the subsection nor the court decision applied to schools operated by the Roman Catholic separate school boards.

Section 29 of Regulation 262, regarding provision of religious instruction by clergy or designates in the public secondary schools, was not before the court, and the court's ruling did not apply expressly to that section. However, subsequent advice by legal counsel indicates that the principles outlined in the decision make section 29 equally untenable.

In its decision, the court made it very clear that subsection 28(4) of the regulation was invalid because it permitted the teaching of a single religious tradition as if it were the exclusive means through which to develop moral thinking and behaviour. The court also ruled that education designed to teach about religion and to foster moral values without indoctrination in a particular religious faith would not contravene the charter.

In distinguishing between religious indoctrination and education about religion, the court made the following statement: While this is an easy test to state, the line between indoctrination and education, in some instances, can be difficult to draw. With this in mind, it may be of assistance to refer to the following more detailed statement of the distinction: • The school may sponsor the study of religion, but may not sponsor the practice of religion. • The school may expose students to all religious views, but may not impose any particular view. • The school's approach to religion is one of instruction, not one of indoctrination. • The function of the school is to educate about all religions, not to convert to any one religion. • The school's approach is academic, not devotional. • The school should study what all people believe, but should not teach a student what to believe. • The school should strive for student awareness of all religions, but should not press for student acceptance of any one religion. • The school should seek to inform the student about various beliefs, but should not seek to conform him or her to any one belief.

Subsequent to the court's ruling, an interim policy for public elementary schools, dated February 28, 1990, was established, whereby boards were permitted to provide programs in education about religion in the time previously used during the school day, as long as these programs were in accordance with the court's ruling. Boards of education were also advised that they could continue to provide space outside the school day, as they do for various community-related activities, if parents requested that their children be taught religion by clergy or designates. This interim policy for elementary schools was intended to remain in effect only until policy considerations related to the public elementary and secondary schools were finalized.

II. Permanent Policy

The Ministry of Education will amend sections 28 and 29 of Regulation 262 to reflect the following permanent policy, which will apply to public elementary and secondary schools:

1. Boards of education may provide programs in education about religion in Grades 1 to 8 during the school day for up to 60 minutes per week. 2. Boards of education may continue to provide optional credit courses in World Religions in secondary schools, as specified in the curriculum guideline entitled History and Contemporary Studies, Part C: Senior Division, Grades 11 and 12, 1987. The program described in the guideline meets the court's definition of permissible education about religion. 3. Schools and programs, including programs in education about religion, under the jurisdiction of boards of education must meet both of the following conditions: a) They must not be indoctrinational. b) They must not give primacy to any particular religious faith. 4. Boards of education may continue to provide space before the beginning or after the close of the instructional program of the school day for indoctrinational religious education. Given the provisions for equality of treatment in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, boards choosing this option must make space available on an equitable basis to all religious groups.

This policy will come into effect on January 1, 1991.

III. Purpose

The purpose of programs in education about religion is to enable students to acquire knowledge and awareness of a variety of the religious traditions that have shaped and continue to shape our world. The programs enable individuals to understand, appreciate, and respect various types of religious beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour.

The purpose of these programs is not to instil the beliefs of any particular religion. It is the prerogative of individual pupils and their families to decide which religious beliefs they should hold. Indoctrinational religious education has no place in the curriculum or programs of public elementary and secondary schools of the province.

IV. Content

Since the world's religions are many and varied, a particular program in education about religion cannot be expected to include every one of them. As a minimum, programs in any grade should include a balanced consideration of world religions that have continuing significance for the world's people.

Both content and method should be appropriate to the ages and levels of maturity of the pupils. In developing programs of education about religion, consideration may be given to various organizational frameworks.

V. Resources

The Ministry of Education will develop a resource document to assist boards of education in developing programs in education about religion for elementary schools.

Programs for the secondary schools will continue to be developed in accordance with History and Contemporary Studies, Part C: Senior Division, Grades 11 and 12, 1987.

VI. Context

This permanent policy and the forthcoming amendments to Regulation 262 are to be understood within the context of the long-established vision of the public elementary and secondary schools as places where people of diverse backgrounds can learn and grow together. The public schools are open and accessible to all on an equal basis and founded upon the positive societal values which, in general, Canadians hold and regard as essential to the well-being of our society. These values transcend cultures and faiths, reinforce democratic rights and responsibilities, and are founded on a fundamental belief in the worth of all persons.

Memorandum of Agreement: Provinces of Ontario and Ontario Multifaith Council

Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of Ontario and the Faith Groups of the Province as represented by the Ontario Provincial Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy December 3, 1992

Ontario Provincial Interfaith Committee On Chaplaincy Chaplaincy Services Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services Ministry of Health Ministry of Correctional Services

Preamble

Recognition of spiritual and religious needs has been inherent in the care provided for persons in institutions within the Province of Ontario from its earliest days. Those in charge of institutions, particularly though not exclusively ones founded and operated under religious auspices, have ensured that services of clergy and other faith group representatives have been available to those in their care.

Spiritual and religious care has been provided under the auspices of the Government of Ontario since the appointment of the first government paid chaplain in 1949. The subsequent expansion of chaplaincy services within institutions of the Ministries of Community and Social Services, Health and Correctional Services has continued to the point where an extensive and coordinated province-wide network of services for the provision of spiritual and religious care now exists. Coordination has been provided since 1972 through the offices of the provincial and regional staff of Chaplaincy Services Ontario, under the direction of the above ministries and of the faith groups of Ontario as represented by the Ontario Provincial Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy (OPIFCC).

The Policy and Procedure Manual for Chaplaincy Services Ontario, incorporated into the Ontario Manual of Administration, provides direction for the ongoing partnership of the OPIFCC and the Government of Ontario, and between the Regional Interfaith Committees and the regional offices of the three ministries. The Policy and Procedure Manual also provides direction for the operation of Chaplaincy Services Ontario within provincial government structures and government funded institutions in the Province.

Renewing the Partnership

This Agreement is proclaimed by the Government of Ontario, in partnership with the faith groups of the Province through the Ontario Provincial Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy, to be implemented by Chaplaincy Services Ontario, and to be supported by the many faith groups in the province, in collaboration with each other, the Government and Chaplaincy Services Ontario.

Affirmations

The following statements are presented to clarify basic assumptions about the provision of spiritual and religious care in a multifaith, pluralistic society. In such a society, the system for the provision of spiritual and religious care is necessarily an evolving one. It exists in response to Canadian and international agreements, as well as to the concerns of the Government and faith groups of the Province.

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) proclaims:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought. conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." (Article 18)

In a specific application of these principles, the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners states:

41. (1) If the institution contains a sufficient number of prisoners of the same religion, a qualified representative of that religion shall be appointed or approved.

(2) A qualified representative appointed or approved under paragraph (1) shall be allowed to hold regular services and to pay pastoral visits in private to prisoners of his religion at proper times.

(3) Access to a qualified representative of any religion shall not be refused to any prisoner. On the other hand, if any prisoner should object to a visit of any religious representative, his attitude shall be fully respected.

42. As far as practicable, every prisoner shall be allowed to satisfy the needs of his religious life by attending the services provided in the institution and having in his possession the books of religious observance and instruction of his denomination.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, within the Constitution Act (1982), acknowledges that Canada is "founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law." The Charter goes on to guarantee everyone the fundamental freedom of conscience and religion (Part 1, Clause 2a).

In the Preamble of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the basis of the Code is established as being in accord with the provisions of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Preamble continues:

"...it is public policy in Ontario to recognize the dignity and worth of every person...and having as its aim the creation of a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of each person...."

Further, in Part 1, Paragraph 1, the Code states:

Every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to services... without discrimination because of... creed." References to the necessity of spiritual and religious care and the role of government in its provision are found throughout Provincial Statutes.

Ontario is exemplary in the extent of its ecumenical, multifaith and government collaboration, given sensitivities about relationships between church and state and in a world often divided by religious tensions.

Principles

In order to provide a clearly understood basis for the ongoing partnership between the faith groups and the Government of Ontario in the provision of spiritual and religious care, the covenanting parties reaffirm the following principles:

1. There is a spiritual dimension to human existence which, for persons of all faith traditions, provides a basis for their sense of well-being, meaning and purpose in life. This spirituality is often expressed through participation in religious and cultural traditions of their own choosing.

2. In keeping with the principles of human rights, our multicultural and multifaith society, and spiritual health and human dignity, those in the care of government institutions and transfer payment agencies are entitled to adequate and appropriate spiritual and religious care.

3. The provision of resources for spiritual and religious care in these institutions and agencies is a joint responsibility of the faith groups on the one hand, and the institutions and agencies on the other.

4. It is the responsibility of the faith groups: i) to ensure the availability of persons with adequate understanding, ability and qualifications, and with appropriate status within their faith group; ii) to nurture and to provide continuing support to chaplains of their faith group; iii) to encourage, within their faith group, involvement with and acceptance of persons who are, or have been, in the care of the Province; iv) to collaborate with the Government in providing training and professional education for persons who are, or would be, chaplains in government institutions and transfer payment agencies; v) and, to assist with the coordination, supervision, support and evaluation of chaplaincy programmes in government institutions and transfer payment agencies.

5. It is the responsibility of the Government: i) to collaborate with the faith groups in ensuring the provision of spiritual and religious care to those in government institutions and transfer payment agencies, and appropriate access for those in care to representatives of the faith of their choice; ii) to collaborate with the faith groups in providing for the coordination, supervision, support and evaluation of chaplaincy programmes in government institutions and transfer payment agencies; iii) to provide support for training and continuing professional education of chaplains; iv) to collaborate with the faith groups in the ongoing development and implementation of policies and procedures which enable and support the provision of spiritual and religious care to persons in government institutions and transfer payment agencies; v) and, to initiate a process of consultation and direct involvement with faith groups with regard to any proposed changes or developments affecting spiritual and religious care in government institutions and transfer payment agencies.

6. There is a commitment by the faith groups and the Government to the continuation of the provision of spiritual and religious care for those affected by the process of deinstitutionalization.

Excerpts from Guidelines and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances, Toronto District School Board, 2000

The Toronto District School Board Mission Statement

The mission of the Toronto District School Board is to enable all students to reach high levels of achievement and to acquire the knowledge, skills, and values they need to become responsible members of a democratic society.

The Toronto District School Board values: à each and every student à a strong public education system à a partnership of students, schools, family, and community, à the uniqueness and diversity of our students and our community à the commitments and skills of our staff à equity, innovation, accountability, and accessibility, à learning environments that are safe, nurturing, positive, and respectful.

General Guidelines and Procedures for Religious Accommodation

A. Introduction The Toronto District Schools Board values the uniqueness and diversity of its students and community, and understands that people from diverse religious communities need to work and study in environments that are safe and respectful.

In a city as dynamic and diverse as Toronto, it is important that the public school system actively acknowledge both the freedom of religion that Is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the protection from discrimination and harassment based on religion that is part of the Ontario Human Rights Code. This proactive stance is demanding; it requires constant integration and evaluation of new knowledge and new approaches. Ultimately, the Board believes that the process of accommodation and partnership with members of its community will help to build an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

While this document establishes guidelines and procedures for religious accommodation in the Toronto District School Board, the Board acknowledges the fact that many of those who study and work in the school system do not have religious affiliation. The Board assures these members of its community that their rights and privileges are not interfered with by the religious accommodation guideline and procedures.

In addition to the guidelines and procedures for religious accommodation in Toronto District School Board schools and properties, this document also provides: 1. the legislative and policy context for religious accommodation 2. appendices that briefly describe some of the religions of the staff and student body of the Toronto District School Board, noting the practices and observances that may need accommodation. The descriptions have been developed in consultation with Faith Group Representatives from The Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care.

While these guidelines and procedures recommend courses of action and expectations for those who work in or are associated with the TDSB, in the long term, the best strategies for achieving an inclusive learning and working environment is a proactive education system. It is essential that the curriculum, teaching methods, and management practices of the Toronto District School Board support the values embodied in the document. As well, it is essential that the Board make every effort to remove discriminatory barriers experienced by members of religious communities in employment policies and practices, and in access to programs, resources, and facilities for members of religious communities.

Respect for religious diversity is a shared responsibility. While the Toronto District School Board works to ensure that students and staff are able to observe the tenets of their faith free from harassment or discrimination, it is also the responsibility of the students and the community to help the schools by highlighting and providing understanding of the needs of the many religious communities that share the resources of Toronto schools.

B. Legislative and Policy Context All school boards exist within a broader context of law and public policy that protect and defend human rights. At the Toronto District School Board, a number of policy statements have been developed that reinforce both federal and provincial legislation, and help ensure that the freedoms they name are protected within the school system.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of religion. The Ontario Human Rights Code protects an individuals’ freedom from discriminatory or harassing behaviour based on religion.

The Toronto District School Board recognizes and is committed to the values of freedom of religion and freedom from discriminatory or harassing behaviour based on religion through its Equity Foundation Statements, Commitments to Equity Policy Implementation documents (CEPI), the Human Rights Policy and procedures, and the Safe School Policy. B.1 Accommodation Based on Request The Toronto District School Board will take reasonable steps to provide accommodation to individual members of a religious group who state that the Board’s operations or requirements interfere with their ability to exercise their religious beliefs and practices. The Board will balance its decision to accommodate on several factors, such as undue hardship, including: the cost of the accommodation to the Board, health and safety risks to the person requesting accommodation and to others, and the effect of accommodation on the Board’s ability to fulfill its duties under Board policies and the Education Act.

C. Definitions C.1 Accommodation The Toronto District School Board Human Rights Policy and Procedures defines accommodation as an “obligation to meet the special needs of individuals and groups protected by the Policy, unless meeting such needs would create undue hardship. For a blind employee, accommodation could mean providing a voice synthesizer on computer; for other protected groups, it could mean altering a dress code or changing shift work to accommodate employees’ individual religious practices.” (Definitions and Glossary, Appendix A)

The Ontario Human Rights Policy a Guidelines on Creed and the Accommodation of Religious Observances defines accommodation as a duty corresponding to the right to be free from discrimination.

“The Code provides the rights to be free from discrimination, and there is a general corresponding duty to protect the right; the ‘duty to accommodate.” The duty arises when a person’s religious beliefs conflict with a requirement, qualification or practice. The code imposes a duty to accommodate based on the needs of the group of which the person making the request is a member. Accommodation may modify a rule or make an exception to all or part of it for the person requesting accommodation.” (Policy on Creed and the Accommodation of Religious Observances, Ontario Human Rights Commission, Oct 20, 1996, p. 5)

The duty to accommodate then is an obligation which arises where requirements, factors, or qualifications, which are imposed in good faith, have an adverse impact on, or provide an unfair preference for, a group of persons based on a protected ground under the code. The duty to accommodate is not required where it would cause an undue hardship…

D. Areas of Accommodation For many students and staff in Toronto schools, there are a number of areas where the practices of their religion will result in a request for accommodation on the part of the school and/or Board. These areas may include the following: à Observation of major religious holy days and celebrations à School opening or closing exercises à Prayer à Dietary requirements à Fasting à Religious attire à Modesty requirements in Physical Education à Participation in daily activities and curriculum

When concerns related to beliefs and practices arise in schools, collaboration among school, student, family, and religious community is often needed in order to develop appropriate accommodations. Building trust and mutual respect is an important aspect of accommodation, and it is the role of the administrators and teachers to ensure fairness and respect for the diverse religious beliefs and practices of students and staff in the school system. However, school administrators and teachers should not be placed in the position of monitoring a child’s compliance with a religious obligation, and enforcing such practices as performing daily prayers or wearing h a head covering is not the responsibility of the school.

Religious accommodation in the TDSB will be granted in the context of respect for the Equity Foundation Statement, CEPI, the Human Rights and Safe Schools Policies, and the Board’s Mission and Values...

F. Limitations to Religious Accommodation Religious accommodation in the Toronto District School Board is carried out in the larger context of the secular public education system. While the Board works to create a school system free from religious discrimination, this freedom is not absolute. The Board will limit practices or conduct in its schools which may put public safety, health, or the human rights and freedoms of others at risk. As well, the Board will limit practices or conduct in its schools that is in violation of other Board policies.

Facts and Statistics

City of Toronto Faith Demographic Maps

The following six City of Toronto Faith Demographic Maps are based on data collected by Census 2001. They are included only as sample source documents that teachers may use to teach skill expectations in appropriate elementary programs and/or secondary courses of study, using the breadth and range of beliefs systems that exist in this city. For example, students can be instructed to go to the City of Toronto website (at ) to conduct comparative mapping and population density/urban settlement inquiry research.

Information included from this source is not intended to be exclusive as definitive lists of faiths that are acknowledged and valued by the TDSB. These maps are samples of demographic materials available for study purposes.

The full list of City of Toronto faith demographic maps available include:

Religious Affiliation by Census Tracts (Census 2001)

Aboriginal Eastern Orthodox Mormon Protestant N.I.E. Adventist Greek Orthodox Muslim Roman Catholic Anglican Hindu No Religious Serbian Orthodox Affiliation Baptist Jehovah’s Witness Orthodox N.I.E. Sikh Buddhist Jewish Pagan Ukrainian Orthodox Christian Lutheran Pentecostal United Church Christian N.I.E. Methodist Presbyterian

2001 Census: Analysis Series—Religions in Canada

The following excerpt has been taken from the 2001 Census: Analysis Series – Religions in Canada. For the full report, please refer to the following link: .

Growth in Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism The largest gains in religious affiliations occurred among faiths consistent with changing immigration patterns toward more immigrants from regions outside of Europe, in particular Asia and the Middle East. Among this group, those who identified themselves as Muslim recorded the biggest increase, more than doubling from 253,300 in 1991 to 579,600 in 2001. These individuals represented 2% of the total population in 2001, up from under 1% a decade earlier. The number of people who identified themselves as Hindu increased 89% to 297,200. Those who identified themselves as Sikh rose 89% to 278,400, while the number of Buddhists increased 84% to about 300,300. Each represented around 1% of the total population. Immigration was a key factor in the increases for all these groups. The proportion of immigrants entering Canada with these religions increased with each new wave of arrivals since the 1960s. Of the 1.8 million new immigrants who came during the 1990s, Muslims accounted for 15%, Hindus almost 7% and Buddhists and Sikhs each about 5%. In terms of age, each of these religions had relatively young populations. The median age of Muslims was 28 years, Sikhs 30, and Hindus 32, all well below the median of 37 for the overall population. Ontario was home to 73% of the Hindu population in 2001, 61% of all Muslims, and 38% of all Sikhs. Nearly one-half of the Sikh population lived in British Columbia.

Frequently Asked Questions…

FAQs by Teachers

Q. A large number of students at my school are not of the Christian faith. Does that mean that the school cannot engage in Christmas activities?

A. During the month of December, there are a number of celebrations and religious holidays. Therefore, the month provides an opportunity to teach about the different holidays. Rather than celebrating only one of them, teachers could focus on common themes, such as the use of lights, special times for gatherings of loved ones, and sharing of gifts. (Students would retain the actual religious focus at home.) A key resource to consult is Policy/Program Memorandum No. 112, Questions to Consider for December Holidays.

Q. What are controversial issues?

A. Controversy results when people disagree and are unable to resolve their disagreement through reason and the use of facts or evidence. If ignored, controversy can separate and polarize people within society, causing rigidity about one’s own beliefs, along with uncertainty, confusion, or hostility about what others think and feel. When controversy is not addressed, it can be divisive and destructive because people lose trust and respect for one another, and are unable to work well together. However, if a controversy can be aired and moderated effectively, it is healthy for society. Without controversy, many issues would never be brought before a broad enough public to be properly considered.

Controversial issues reflect moral positions that are usually strongly held and charged with emotion because of a commitment to alternative value responses. Controversial issues are situations and ideas from which divergent beliefs lead to divergent individual and social behaviours.

At root, controversy is a conflict of values, beliefs, and biases, a struggle among people about what they know or how they act, or what weight should be given to various facts.

Q. What is the general background for Halloween being a controversial and sensitive issue in some TDSB school communities?

A. In recent years, administrators and parents have expressed concerns about accommodations and the application of the TDSB Equitable Schools policies with respect to the place of Halloween activities within school curriculum. For example, principals have requested clarification because some members of the TDSB school communities (students, teachers, administrators, parents/guardians/ caregivers, community partners) disagree with the content of Halloween week programs, resulting in some students staying at home rather than attending school. ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 15 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

Concerns include: • the nature of accommodations that could be applied successfully • the willingness or reluctance of teachers to accommodate • the mixed messages received from the TDSB regarding Halloween

Q. What is bias, especially as it relates to Halloween?

A. Bias is ”the opinion, preference, inclination, perspective, or slant that informs text.” (A Resource for Dealing with Controversial and Sensitive Issues in Toronto District School Board Classrooms, Toronto District School Board, 2002). Bias can be positive or negative. This definition differs from a common usage in which bias has only negative connotations such as prejudice, unreasoned justification, distorted interpretation, and unfair influence. To deal with text knowledgeably, the reader must interpret it from competing perspectives, and determine whether bias is positive or negative. Halloween-related words such as witch, spook, and crone reveal the point of view or bias of a given observer. Students need to consider the event from the point of view of a variety of observers—for example, a participant, an opponent, a bystander, a reporter, an official—to determine the bias in reports.

Bias can be a problem, even when it is positive. Positive bias is not necessarily good for communication. For example, a person who writes a description of a Halloween parade from the perspective that everyone shares a similar North American Halloween experience unintentionally excludes many people by using terminology and concepts that are not familiar to everyone. The positive bias that everyone knows or easily guesses the meaning of Halloween activities means that readers who require basic background information and context do not often receive it.

Q. How does bias play a role in determining the nature of activities for Halloween in our schools?

A. Many activities assume that our students identify with/share/buy into values that underlie wide-ranging aspects of this day. For example, the trivialization of death, most commonplace at Halloween, can lead to some student and parent communities feeling marginalized and excluded. And asking many recently arrived students how Halloween is celebrated in their country conveys the assumption that all ethnocultural groups must share or have the same values and rituals. Some students and their parents/guardians/caregivers might experience their first Halloween not as a strange or appealing surprise, but more as a traumatic shock.

Q. What are some of the different points of view, perspectives, biases, and sets of values of the TDSB community that should be considered before determining how and the extent to which Halloween is emphasized in classroom and school activities?

A. Schools have come to recognize some students’ and parents’/guardians’ feelings of exclusion during Halloween activities that result from different perspectives and experiences. The following list may also provide some direction in the development ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 16 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

of accommodations for students and their families who choose not to participate in Halloween activities. • Halloween is a religious day of significance for Wiccans and therefore should be treated respectfully. • Peer and social/media consumer pressures target all children and their families as consumers of costumes, makeup, food products, etc. Many students and their families can feel this socio-economic marginalization keenly. • The images and icons associated with consumer-oriented Halloween can come into conflict with some students’ and their families’ religious beliefs. • The food products that are marketed heavily during the Halloween period can come into conflict with students’ and their families’ dietary habits. • Some students have had first-hand traumatic experiences of violence that make talking about death, ghosts, etc., extremely alienating. • Many recently arrived students in our schools share no background cultural knowledge of trick-or-treating or the commercialization of death as “fun.”

Q. What are some teaching/learning strategies that can be used to promote Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum expectations that acknowledge Halloween as a cultural event in Canadian society?

A. The study of Halloween is very popular in our schools for various grades and age groups, and commonly involves classroom activities and studies such as the following. • Primary (K–3)/Junior (Grades 4–6) students are asked to examine a range of themes related to a study and creation of personal masks, community studies, and de-contextualizing scariness through the use of images and ghost stories. • Middle school students are encouraged to look at Halloween-driven consumerism, television media, and marketing. • Secondary students are asked to exam the social value (or lack thereof) of Halloween.

When underlying differences in perspectives are individually considered, possible activities/studies in which teachers can lead their students become more apparent.

Differing Viewpoint Possible Teaching/Learning Strategy Halloween is a religious day of significance Students read/research/explore books and for Wiccans and therefore should be treated images for Days of Significance that occur in respectfully. the fall. Peer and social/media consumer pressures Teachers and students compare marketing target all children and their families as strategies for day-specific products for consumers of costumes, makeup, food Halloween and other days such as products, etc. Many students and their Mother’s/Father’s Days. families can feel this socio-economic marginalization keenly. The images and icons associated with Teachers and students research and keep a consumer-oriented Halloween can come into log of marketed media images throughout conflict with some students’ and their the school year (for example, images from families’ religious beliefs. magazine and television advertisements). The food products that are marketed heavily Students can write health warnings for all during the Halloween period can come into Halloween candies or develop conflict with students’ and their families’ advertisements for a student-created food. dietary habits. Some students have had first-hand traumatic Life/death cycles can be studied in nature experiences of violence that make talking (e.g., the seasons). about death, ghosts, etc., extremely alienating. Many recently arrived students in our schools Teachers and students can research share no background cultural knowledge of holidays and celebrations around the world trick or treating or the commercialization of that are particularly for the enjoyment of death as “fun.” children.

Teachers and students can research the UN’s Day of the Child.

For further information, please refer to A Teaching Resource for Dealing with Controversial and Sensitive Issues in Toronto District School Board Classrooms, 2003 as a helpful guide in clarifying questions of bias and teaching strategies.

FAQs by School Administrators

Q. What should I do if parents/guardians/caregivers request to have their children accommodated in areas of the curriculum which they believe conflict with their religious beliefs?

A. Explain to the parents/guardians/caregivers the nature and value of the curriculum area about which they are concerned. (Sometimes, parents will take issue only with a very particular aspect of the program.) This right of accommodation flows from the Education Act. Be sure to clarify the difference between having students learn about a text, topic, or area of study, and having them accept the values associated with it.

Under the Board’s religious accommodation guidelines, a parent/guardian/caregiver should apply for accommodations in writing, and this accommodation should be specific in nature and based upon a sincerely held belief. A parent/guardian/ caregiver can request to have his or her child exempt from a topic area in part or in whole (for example, a music program, a natural science course, or a human sexuality course). The student should be provided other learning opportunities in the same or another area of study. For example, if an elementary student requests exemption from participating in the music program due to religious beliefs, he or she might participate in an independent project or in another class program during this time. For evaluation purposes, the statement “Not applicable due to religious accommodation” can be written on the progress report beside the exempted program. In the secondary panel, if a student requests religious accommodation from a substantial content of a course, a whole course substitute can be made and the student can be directed to take another course upon the discretion of the principal. Limitations to accommodations apply.

Q. What is the procedure if a parent/guardian/caregiver wishes to have his or her child accommodated based on religious grounds in an area of curriculum under a category protected in the TDSB Human Rights Policy?

A. Religious accommodation in the Toronto District School Board is carried out in the larger context of the secular public education system. While the Board works to create a school system free from religious discrimination, this freedom is not absolute. The Board will limit practices or conduct in its schools which may put public safety, health, or the human rights and freedoms of others at risk. As well, the Board will limit practices or behaviours in its schools that are in violation of other Board policies. (See Guidelines and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances). For example, if a parent/guardian/ caregiver asks for his or her child to be exempt from any discussion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or same-sex-family issue, the request cannot be granted because it violates the TDSB Human Rights Policy.

Q. Should schools send notes or permission slips home before starting any classroom work about curricular issues that may involve discussions about discrimination and harassment?

A. The Board’s Equity Foundation Statement and Commitments to Equity Policy Implementation document say that each school has a responsibility to educate about and reflect the diversity of their students and life experiences. Singling out one group or topic area is too controversial, and depending upon parental discretion, shifts this responsibility from the school to the parents/guardians/caregivers and fosters a poisoned environment, contrary to the Board's Human Rights Policy and Procedures. Sending a school newsletter home at the beginning of each term is a best practice for keeping parents/guardians/caregivers informed of all upcoming equity topics in the classroom, without having to single out one topic over the other.

Q. Do the TDSB Religious Accommodation guidelines mean that the TDSB is allowing religion to be taught in school?

A. No. The Ontario Ministry of Education is clear about the position of religion in the public elementary and secondary schools in its Policy/Program Memorandum No. 112 (January 1, 1991). • The school may sponsor the study of religion, but may not sponsor the practice of religion. • The school may expose students to all religious views, but may not impose any particular view. • The school’s approach to religion is one of instruction, not one of indoctrination. • The function of the school is to educate about all religions, not to convert to any one religion. • The school’s approach is academic, not devotional. • The school should study what all people believe, but should not teach a student what to believe. • The school should strive for student awareness of all religions, but should not press for student acceptance of any one religion.

Further, the Memo states that “Indoctrinational religious education has no place in the curriculum or programs of public elementary and secondary schools of the province.”

Q. Can a parent have his or her child accommodated out of human-rights education based on religious grounds?

A. Religious accommodation in the Toronto District School Board is carried out in the larger context of the secular education system. While the Board works to create a school system free from religious discrimination, this freedom is not absolute. The Board will limit practices or conduct in its schools that may put public safety, health, or the human rights and freedoms of others at risk. ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 20 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

As well, the Board will limit practices or behaviours in its schools that are in violation of other Board policies. (See Guidelines and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances). For example, if a parent/ guardian/caregiver asks for his or her child to be exempted from any discussions of gay, lesbian, bisexual issues, or same-sex family issues as a religious accommodation, this request cannot be made because it violates the Human Rights Policy.

Furthermore, this is consistent with the ideal that human rights education is an essential strategy for preventing human-rights abuses.

Q. Should we have materials on gays, lesbians, and the lesbian/gay/bisexual/ transgender/two-spirited/queer (LGBTTQ) community members in our school library? Where should they be located in the library?

A. Section 3.4.6 of the Commitments to Equity Policy Implementation (CEPI) clearly ensures “that classrooms, resource centres, school libraries, audio-visual collections, and computer software contain appropriate materials and resources that accurately reflect the range of Canada’s lesbian and gay communities and other communities who identify themselves on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

These books should not be held in any special place in the school library or have their access limited in some way. To do so because these books are considered controversial is a discriminatory practice. Under the Board’s Human Rights Policy, “omissions that maintain offensive or intimidating climates for a work or study” are considered poisoned environments and are grounds for both a Board-level and Provincial-level human-rights complaint.

With regard to specific library book displays, the CEPI make the schools’ responsibility clear: “3.4.7. Developing guidelines to ensure that displays and visual representation in all schools and workplaces of the TDSB reflect the cultural heritage and include the contributions of the lesbian and gay communities and other communities who identify themselves on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Q. Can teachers seek accommodation with respect to teaching materials that may contradict their religious beliefs?

A. No. The Toronto District School Board is part of the secular public education system. Teachers are equally responsible for delivering curriculum created by the provincial Ministry of Education and to supporting the TDSB policies that accurately reflect the educational needs of its student population. The delivery of curriculum related to human- rights issues must be consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Board's Human Rights Policy and Procedures, the Equity Foundation Statement, and the Commitments to Equity Policy Implementation. Failure to do so is contrary to the obligations outlined for teachers on page 4 of the TDSB Human Rights Policy.

Teachers refusing to create an inclusive classroom that is safe and supportive for all students would create a poisoned learning environment.

Q. Can schools/teachers choose not to address controversial issues for fear of negative parent response?

A. No. Teachers are obligated to address all equity issues (issues regarding historically disadvantaged groups). Any omissions that maintain a non-inclusive curriculum and pedagogy are considered to foster a poisoned environment under Section 4.2 of the Board's Human Rights Policy and Procedures.

The TDSB Commitments to Equity Policy Implementation emphasize the importance of this type of work even further under Section 3.4 Curriculum: ensuring that each commitment to equity permeates the curriculum in all subject areas.

Q. Are students allowed to form after-school clubs or have activities based on religion?

A. Yes, as long as the membership is open to any student in the school and there is no attempt to convert students. It must be used as a vehicle to discuss issues that impact on them as students.

Q. What do I do when I receive a request for religious accommodation for a religion that is not in the TDSB’s Guideline and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances?

A. You may wish to check with the Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care, ask the person making the request if he or she has information he or she can share with you, and/ or contact the religious/spiritual leader or an Elder representing the religious group. Any sincerely held religious belief should be accommodated, short of causing undue hardship or violating existing Board policies.

The Toronto District School Board’s Equity Foundation Statement

The Board will therefore ensure that: a. The curriculum of our schools accurately The Toronto District School Board values the reflects and uses the variety of knowledge of contribution of all members of our diverse all peoples as the basis for instruction; that it actively provides opportunities for all students community of students, staff, parents, and to understand the factors that cause inequity community groups to our mission and goals. We in society and to understand the similarities, believe that equity of opportunity, and equity of differences and the connections between access to our programs, services and resources different forms of discrimination; and that it are critical to the achievement of successful helps students to acquire the skills and outcomes for all those whom we serve, and for knowledge that enable them to challenge those who serve our school system. unjust practices, and to build positive human relationships among their fellow students, and The Board recognizes, however, that certain among all members of the society. groups in our society are treated inequitably b. All our students are provided with equitable opportunities to be successful in our system; because of individual and systemic biases that institutional barriers to such success are related to race, colour, culture, ethnicity, identified and removed; and that all learners linguistic origin, disability, socio-economic class, are provided with supports and rewards to age, ancestry, nationality, place of origin, develop their abilities and achieve their religion, faith, sex, gender, sexual orientation, aspirations. family status, and marital status. Similar biases c. Our hiring and promotion practices are bias- have also impacted on Canada’s aboriginal free, and promote equitable representation of population. We also acknowledge that such our diversity at all levels of the school system; biases exist within our school system. that all our employees have equitable opportunities for advancement; that their skills and knowledge are valued and used The Board further recognizes that such appropriately; and that they have equitable inequitable treatment leads to educational, access to available support for their social, and career outcomes that do not professional development needs. accurately reflect the abilities, experiences, and d. The contributions of our diverse community of contributions of our students, our employees, parents and community groups to our schools and our parent and community partners. This are valued and encouraged; and that they are inequitable treatment limits their future success provided with equitable opportunities for and prevents them from making a full working with staff and with each other for the contribution to society. benefit of all students. e. Students, employees, parents, and community partners are provided with effective The Board is therefore committed to ensuring procedures for resolving concerns and that fairness, equity, and inclusion are essential complaints which may arise from their principles of our school system and are experiences of unfair or inequitable treatment integrated into all our policies, programs, within the school system. operations, and practices. f. Financial and human resources are provided to support the work of staff, students, parents, and community groups, and for staff development, in promoting equity and inclusion in the school system. g. Procedures are in place at all levels of the system for implementing, reviewing and developing policies, programs, operations, and practices which promote equity in the system, for assessing their effectiveness, and for making changes where necessary.

The Toronto District School Board’s Commitment to Equity Policy Implementation

The Toronto District School Board is committed to Duties maintaining a learning and working environment be aware of and sensitive to issues of which actively promotes and supports human rights. discrimination and harassment The Board recognizes the value of: • support individuals who are, or have been, • each and every student; targets of discrimination and harassment • a strong public education system; • prevent discrimination and harassment • a partnership of students, schools, family, and • take reasonable steps to remove any community; discriminatory barriers in employment policies • the uniqueness and diversity of our students and and practices and in accessing programs, our community; resources, and facilities • the commitment and skills of our staff; • take all allegations of discrimination and • equity, innovation, accountability and harassment seriously and respond promptly accessibility; • provide positive role models • learning environments that are safe, nurturing, • not demonstrate, allow or condone behaviour positive and respectful. contrary to this policy, including reprisal • report immediately hate group activity The Toronto District School Board is committed to 3.2. Teachers meeting its obligation under the Canadian Charter of Teachers have a particular obligation to ensure Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights that the learning environment is free of Code by providing safe schools and workplaces that discrimination and harassment and to respond respect the rights of every individual. Every student, speedily to breaches of this policy when they employee, trustee, parent, and community member occur. The Board recognizes that preventive has the right to learn and work in an environment education and proactive practices are the best free of discrimination and harassment. Discrimination long-term strategies to achieve an inclusive and harassment based on legislated prohibited learning and working environment. It is grounds will not be tolerated. Such behaviour must essential, therefore, that Toronto District School be addressed not only for its cost in individual, Board programs, curriculum, teaching methods, human terms, but also for its cost to our social, and management practices support the values economic, and civic future. embodied in this policy. 3.3. Supervisory and Managerial Personnel The purpose of this policy is to prevent discrimination Supervisory and managerial personnel have a and harassment through greater awareness of and specific duty to implement the policy. This duty responsiveness to their deleterious effects and to includes prevention of and response to ensure that human rights complaints are dealt with discrimination and harassment and the expeditiously and effectively through consistently education of staff, students, and the school applied policy and procedures. Nothing in this policy community. or procedures denies or limits access to other Failure to take measures to address avenues of redress open under the law such as a discrimination and harassment in the learning complaint to the Ontario Human Rights Commission and working environment may have legal or a grievance. implications for the Board. The Toronto District School Board is committed to ensuring that education on human rights issues is provided for all staff and students.

4. Grounds and Forms of Discrimination 4.1. Grounds of Discrimination Under this policy, the Board upholds and supports the right to equal treatment without discrimination based on the following prohibited grounds:

Age; Ancestry; Citizenship; Colour; Creed (Faith); Disability; Ethnic Origin; Family Status; Gender; Gender Identity; Marital Status; Place of Origin; Race; Sexual Orientation; Socio-economic Status ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 24 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

4.2. Forms of Discrimination Discrimination is defined as unfair treatment of a person or group based on the grounds listed above. Discrimination can occur in many ways including the following: • Direct discrimination: Any action from individuals, groups, or organizations, whether intended or unintended, which differentiates between persons based on their membership in a protected group as set out in this policy other than special programs designed to address the conditions of individuals or groups • Indirect discrimination or condonation: Occurring when discrimination and harassing behaviour are either overlooked or accepted particularly by supervisory or managerial personnel • Systemic discrimination: Arising from policies, procedures, practices, and conduct which may not be discriminatory in their intent but adversely impact individuals or groups protected by this policy, where the adverse impact arises from one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination • Harassment: A form of discrimination defined as engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome

Sexual harassment is a particular form of harassment. It can take the form of a sexual advance, request for sexual favours, or sexual flirtation or banter made by any person, including a person in a position to grant, confer or deny a benefit, privilege, or advancement, where the person engaging in such conduct knows, or ought reasonably to know, that it is unwelcome. Sexual attention by an employee toward a student is unacceptable under any circumstances and shall constitute a violation of this policy. • Failure to reasonably accommodate a person, short of undue hardship on any of the grounds covered by this policy. • Discrimination against individuals because of their relationship or association with a person or persons identified by a prohibited ground of discrimination under this policy. • Reprisals which may include threats, intimidation, denial of opportunity, or undue negative focus on the rights of individuals or groups who claim and enforce their rights under this policy. • Negative or “poisoned” environments created and fostered by acts or omissions that maintain offensive or intimidating climates for study or work. Poisoned learning environments include inappropriate or non-inclusive curriculum and pedagogy, bias or discriminatory barriers in existing policies, programs, or assessment procedures, and discriminatory comments made by teachers and other employees. Poisoned working environments thrive where there is managerial or supervisory condonation of discriminatory or harassing behaviour. Poisoned environments can also be created where there is inattention to fair and equitable recruitment and employment policies, practices, and procedures. • Hate group activities.

5. Hate Group Activities Hate group activities represent some of the most destructive forms of human rights-based discrimination by promoting hatred against identifiable groups of people. Hate groups generally label and disparage people who may include immigrants, people with disabilities, members of particular racial, religious or cultural groups, people who are gay or lesbian. Hate group activities will not be tolerated. Such activities contravene this policy, and other potential Board policies related to school safety and may also contravene the Criminal Code of Canada.

6. Complaints All those who are covered by this policy are entitled and encouraged to complain about discrimination and harassment and are entitled to have access to the complaint procedures. In addition, nothing in these procedures precludes individuals who believe they are targets of (or have witnessed) discrimination and harassment from directly expressing that the behaviour is inappropriate and must stop immediately. Many complaints can be resolved quickly and effectively using this approach. In order to stop discrimination and harassment, supervisory and managerial personnel must expeditiously address and attempt to resolve complaints under this policy and procedures.

Instructional Strategies

A Note to Educators: How to Use Resources in This Document

This resource document was developed as a source of curriculum support for classroom teachers and school administrators. The document provides information for school- based initiatives, announcements, and events, as well as for classroom programming, lessons, and activities.

Two resources that have been retained in this document (see Introduction) from Days of Significance: A Curriculum Resource 2006–2007 appear with the kind permission of City of Toronto: Social Policy Analysis and Research (SPAR) and the Ontario Multifaith Council. The sample demographic mapping of religious and faith affiliation from SPAR and Census 2001 information sources can inform TDSB school communities’ planning of activities and calendars. The excerpts from An Interfaith Celebration of Spiritual and Religious Care (Ontario Multifaith Council) can similarly be used by teachers for students’ study of comparative beliefs and values.

Please note Information included from this source is not intended to provide exclusive and definitive coverage of faiths that are acknowledged and valued by the TDSB. Information and source documents related to these faiths are included only as samples that teachers may use to teach skill expectations in appropriate elementary programs and/or secondary courses of study.

TDSB Library and Learning Resources has provided easy-to-reference lists of recommended titles for each of the included Days of Significance. Recommended resources for school communities (fiction/non-fiction books, professional articles, videos/DVDs, and websites) can be accessed either through your school’s teacher- librarian and library, the Tippett Centre’s Professional Library Services or Library Media Resources, or the Toronto Public Library. Note that the URLs for websites were verified prior to publication. However, given the frequency with which these designations change, teachers should verify websites before assigning them for student use.

TDSB Library and Learning Resources’ Imagine the Learning! @ Your Library: Elementary Research Guide, 2006 has also provided the information frameworks upon which all teaching/learning strategy samples in this section are based. Teachers and students are asked to refer to this document in full for a comprehensive and easily facilitated guide to conduct student-directed research.

The Role of Planning: Implementation of the James Banks Model for Days of Significance Curriculum Topics

Days of Significance school-based initiatives, announcements, events, as well as classroom programming, lessons, and activities, may be used to build inclusive classrooms, school environments, and climates. Teachers are encouraged to use information included in this resource for the collaborative planning of study units and activities that not only recognize diversity in marking significant days, but that above all, also highlight thematic commonalities of our Days of Significance: for example, a Festivals of Lights study unit may include Diwali (Hinduism, Sikhism), Eid (Islam), Hanukkah (Judaism), Christmas (Christian – Western), Kwanzaa (Canadian/American), New Year’s Eve/Day (International), and Lunar New Year (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese). The Ministry of Education’s “Education About Religion in Ontario Public Elementary Schools” (1994), available at , includes a link that identifies common themes through which students can learn about multifaith practices and beliefs: for example, “Relationships,” “Occasions, ” “Beginnings and Endings,” “Signs and Symbols,” “Rituals and Customs,” “Journeys,” “Harmony with Nature,” “Leadership,” and “Sacred Books and Places” are some of these suggested themes.

In addition, the Resource Guides from ETFO (Elementary Teachers of Ontario), We’re Erasing Prejudice for Good and Respecting Cultures and Honouring Differences, include many very useful classroom strategies for the development of Festival of Lights curriculum.

Building awareness and integrating Days of Significance into school culture and practice are initiatives that succeed if all members of the school community are involved: administrators, teaching staff, support staff, school councils, and students.

For helpful tools in the creation of a learning community, please consult the TDSB’s Equitable Schools: It’s in Our Hands, 2005.

The Role of School and Family of Schools (FOS) Equity Committees

The resources included in this curriculum resource can be used to develop a school equity curriculum to build a clearly articulated Equity School Improvement Plan.

A school’s Equity School Improvement Plan identifies the strengths and weaknesses of its current practices, and articulates a collective vision of equity goals. It clearly identifies the allocation of resources to prioritized actions that will benefit the school communities. Where and how do we start in the determination of these activities? We start in the classroom and then expand our learning community to multiple classrooms to effect change in school environments with the partnership of community organizations.

One model for the development of meaningful Equity/Human Rights curricular activities for our students is the four stages of the James Banks Model. A summary of Banks’ Model is provided on the following page. ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 27 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

Banks’ The Roles of the Student and Teacher The School’s Model Stage Relationship to Its Community Stage 1 Contributions Not engaged. Adding announcements of major faith holidays to the curriculum, selected using criteria similar to those used to choose mainstream holidays for the curriculum. Another example may be the addition of library resources about diverse days of significance.

Role of Student: Passive recipient of information Role of Educator: Provider of all information; structures materials, resources, time allocation Stage 2 Additive Some acquaintance with Adding a variety of content, concepts, themes, and faith communities as perspectives of selected faiths (as indicated by school sources of information population) to the curriculum without changing its basic structure. For example, teachers can ask a speaker from a faith community to speak to students.

Role of Student: Passive recipient of information Role of Educator: Provider of all information; structures materials, resources, time allocation Stage 3 Transformation Growing partnership Changing the actual structure of the curriculum to help students to view concepts, issues, events, and themes from the perspectives of various faith groups. For example, schools can organize a multifaith craft-fair open house in which all grades and classes are responsible for researching a craft or cultural practice associated with diverse holidays, prepare the crafts, explain in written format, and demonstrate to others in the school community.

Role of Student: Active learner Role of Teacher: Facilitator of learning opportunities for students to explore multiple perspectives Stage 4 Social Action Engaged partnership Allowing students to make decisions on important social issues and take actions to help solve them. For example, teachers can facilitate debates on the role of religions in schools.

Role of Student: Active learner Role of Teacher: Facilitator of learning opportunities for students to explore multiple perspectives

From Stages 1 to 4, activities progress from classroom-based activities, with the teacher as facilitator and students as learners, to activities that involve multiple classes, students as active participants of determining their projects, and ultimately to school-wide activities that promote change with the input and active assistance of community organizations.

For more information on the Banks Model and its implementation in the development of inclusive school environments, please refer to the TDSB’s Equitable Schools: It’s In Our Hands, 2005 and Tools for Equity, 2006. ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 28 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

Using Equitable Schools: It’s in Our Hands to Set Goals and Action Plans

The following chart is an excerpt from Equitable Schools: It’s in Our Hands, which identifies an area needing improvement by comparing current school curriculum and practices with those of an equitable school.

In this excerpt, the identified area of improvement is the development of an inclusive school environment, “opportunities for all students to learn about the various festivals and Days of Significance.” What follows in the chart are examples of possible school plans to address the area of improvement.

In the chart: • The left column, “What does equity look like?,” describes an image of an equitable school in several dimensions: school climate, curriculum, language, students’ assessment and evaluation, etc. Comparing current practice to the image of an equitable school can direct staff to areas needing improvement. • The second column, “What is our goal?,” suggests an example of a possible goal. • The third column, “How do we reach our goal?,” suggests a possible strategy for a school to reach the goal it has selected. • The right column, “We’ve made progress when…,” suggests a possible indicator that would demonstrate that a school has reached its goal.

Do we provide opportunities for all students to learn about festivals and Days of Significance?

What does equity What is our How do we We’ve made look like? goal? reach our goal? progress when… The school values To acknowledge Staff will develop The school the strengths all the Days of strategies that creates families bring to Significance of focus on opportunities to their children’s all different teaching the educate students education, and religions in our common about religious empowers school culture features of accommodations. parents/guardians/ and to respond festivals rather Family requests caregivers to take appropriately to than celebrating for religious an active role. requests for religious holidays accommodations religious of selected are met. accommodation. faiths.

Equitable Schools: It’s in Our Hands, Toronto District School Board, 2005, pp. 20–21.

Excerpts from A Teaching Resource for Dealing with Controversial and Sensitive Issues in Toronto District School Board Classrooms: “Role of the Reader”

Whenever we discuss different belief systems and practices with students, our understanding and skillful presentation of materials that clarifies of the role of bias in all people, including ourselves as educators, is crucial. The following excerpt from A Teaching Resource for Dealing with Controversial and Sensitive Issues in Toronto District School Board Classrooms identifies essential questions that we should ask ourselves before we start to focus on an interfaith approach to Days of Significance.

Stage 1: Self-knowledge What personal biases shape my reaction to the content of this particular subject-lesson? What experiences have shaped my biases? What assumptions do I make about learning and teaching? Do some assumptions derive from these biases?

Stage 2: Classroom Environment How do I ensure that all my students in my class feel included in the content and in the discussion? How do I ensure that my students have the confidence to regularly take risks by expressing opinions, asking questions, or disagreeing with me or with each other? How do I handle controversial points of view or expressions of prejudice during class discussions? How do I encourage student contribution to the development, delivery, and assessment of the curriculum? How do I encourage students to extend their inquiries beyond the classroom?

Stage 3: Knowledge of Students Do my students have experiences with the issues that are central to the text? What experiences? What additional or background information do my students need to deal with this text/topic?

Stage 4: Preparation for Dealing with Text Why have I chosen this particular text? How does it further student learning on the theme or topic? Does language in the text reflect the prejudices and biases of a group or culture through labels, metaphors, and similes? How do the historical perspective and/or the author’s purpose impose limitations on the point of view? If needed, how should I supplement the text in order to provide a balanced view, or to validate the social identities and experiences of my students?

Stage 5: Teaching the Text Before: Have I discussed with students the way in which texts are constructed from a particular perspective or using a particular bias(es)? Have I helped students to place the text in a broader historical/social context so that issues do not remain personalized? Have I provided materials with positive themes and role models to balance negative ones? Have I ensured that my students (and parents/guardians)* are aware that we study/discuss materials which may be controversial? (* Editorial Note: for Growth and Human Development topics only.)

During: Do I ask questions that encourage students to think critically by examining more than one perspective? Do I deal with student responses constructively as they arise? Have I taught the students to separate the writers’ or developers’ assumptions from the roles or traits assigned to their characters?

After: Can students formulate questions about the text that illustrate their ability to apply higher-order thinking skills (analyze, synthesize, and evaluate)? Do my activities/assignments enable students to deal critically with the bias contained in the text? Have I encouraged students to research gaps in the material(s)/presentation? Can students respond to text, both on personal and theoretical levels?

Stage 6: Metacognition Can my students explain the processes they used to recognize bias in the text, for example, by recognizing the intention of the author/developer and the techniques used? Can they apply the same processes to other texts? Do my students recognize and respond appropriately to bias, stereotyping, prejudices, and issues of discrimination that they encounter beyond the classroom?

Questions to Consider about Holidays

1. Does your school explicitly or implicitly assume Christianity as the religious norm?

2. How many families in your school community celebrate a holiday other than Christmas?

3. How are the feelings and rights of non-Christians respected during the season?

4. Do students learn about the most meaningful days of different faiths or just about the days that are seen as parallel to Christian holidays? (For example, do students learn about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur or about Hanukkah?)

5. What is the purpose of teaching about Christmas and of holding a holiday concert or community event?

6. Is the material developmentally suitable for children?

7. Is the material related to the lives of parents/guardians/caregivers and children?

8. Is the curriculum structured so that an opportunity is provided “for the study of different religions and religious beliefs in Canada and the world, without giving primacy to, without indoctrination in, any particular religion or religious belief”? (Regulation 262 of Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1980, Education Act)

9. Is the school community sensitive to: • the negative impact of the commercialism of Christmas on children from families of lower socio-economic status? • the feeling of exclusion experienced by all non-Christian students during the Christmas season?

A Suggested Curricular Research Activity for Classes and Schools

Use the following set of research graphic organizers from the TDSB’s Imagine the Learning!: Elementary Research Guide, 2006 to assist elementary, middle, and secondary school students in generating a series of public- address morning announcements for their school. The Days of Significance as identified in this Resource Guide can provide the topics for teachers to focus and facilitate the student research.

Introduction These graphic organizers assist students to visualize the steps of the research process by which they will create the public-address morning announcements for the Days of Significance.

Stage 1: Wonder and Explore

Stage 2: Search and Select

Stage 3: Think and Connect

Stage 4: Create and Share

Suggested Fresh AER (Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting) Strategies

Information

Resource: Excerpts from An Interfaith Celebration of Spiritual and Religious Care (Ontario Multifaith Council on Spiritual and Religious Care)

One of the Ontario Multifaith Council’s responsibilities is to assist in the formation of appropriate responses to spiritual and religious needs. The following excerpts from An Interfaith Celebration of Spiritual and Religious Care (available at ) can be used by teachers for students' study of comparative beliefs and values. The excerpts included in this document, the Days of Significance: A Curriculum Resource 2007–2008, provides background information of various faith and belief systems that can be used in conjunction with, and as a supplementary source for, specific faiths as identified in the TDSB’s Guidelines and Procedures for the Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices, and Observances.

I am a Baha’í. The fundamental principle enunciated by our founder Baha’u’llah, the followers of His Faith firmly believe, is that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the non-essential aspects of their doctrines, and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society.

The Baha’i Faith unequivocally maintains the principle of equal rights, opportunities and privileges for men and women, insists on compulsory education, eliminates extremes of poverty and wealth, prohibits slavery, asceticism, mendicancy and monasticism, prescribes monogamy, discourages divorce, emphasizes the necessity of strict obedience to one's government, exalts any work performed in the spirit of service to the level of worship, urges either the creation or the selection of an auxiliary international language and delineates the outlines of those institutions that must establish and perpetuate the general peace of mankind.

The Baha’i Faith upholds the unity of God, recognizes the unity of His Prophets, and inculcates the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the entire human race. It proclaims the necessity and the inevitability of the unification of mankind, asserts that it is gradually approaching, and claims that nothing short of the transmuting spirit of God, working through His chosen Mouthpiece in this day, can ultimately succeed in bringing it about. It, moreover enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all manner of prejudice and superstition, declares the purpose of religion to

______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 37 - Days of Significance 2007–2008 be the promotion of amity and concord, proclaims its essential harmony with science, and recognizes it as the foremost agency for the pacification and orderly progress of human society. “You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. Do not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals, recognizing them as the servants of one God. Know that God is compassionate toward all: therefore, love all from the depths of your hearts, prefer all religionists before yourselves, be filled with love for every race, and be kind toward the people of all nationalities. In brief, let each one of you be as a lamp shining forth with the light of the virtues of the world of humanity. Be trustworthy, sincere, affectionate and replete with chastity. Be illumined, be spiritual, be divine, be glorious, be quickened of God, be a Baha’i” —Abdu’l-Baha, from Promulgation of Universal Peace. December 2, 1912, a talk at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Kinney, New York

I am a Muslim.

Those of my faith believe God is ONE, has no partner, and neither gives birth, nor is He born. He is eternal besought by all and has no beginning and end, and none is equal to Him. The Last Messenger from God is Mohammad (pbuh), and the most genuine existing book of God is the Qur’an.

Though One God has many names, Allah is the most perfect name for Him.

The true Muslim believes in the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes; and that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and that was given to all prophets from their Lord. He believes in all the messengers of God without any discrimination among them.

In the year 610, the Angel Gabriel revealed the Holy Qur’an to the prophet Mohammad (pbuh), who in turn has revealed these truths to all mankind. This collection of revealed truths we call, the Qur’an, which means “the recitation.” The word Islam means submission to Allah.

The “Five Pillars” of Islam are the foundation of every Muslim life:

Shahadah: We believe in the Oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad; Salat: We pray, in the Muslim way, five times every day; Zakat: We show concern for the needy and are generous in our charity; Saum: We purify ourselves each year through fasting during the month of Ramadan; and Hajj: Those who are able make a pilgrimage to Makkah during their lives.

The true Muslim believes that God’s creation is meaningful and that life has a sublime purpose beyond the physical needs and material activities of man. The purpose of life is to worship God. This doesn’t mean that we have to spend our entire lives in constant seclusion and absolute meditation. To worship God is to know Him; to love Him; to obey His commandments; and to be just to Him, to ourselves, and to our fellow human beings.

Muslims have two major sects; Sunnis and Shi’a. Local and school differences may exist among them with no impairment to their basic conviction that they form one religious community.

On the day of judgment God Most High will say, “Son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me.” He will reply, “My Lord, how could I visit Thee, when Thou art the Lord of the Universe!” He will say, “Did you not know that my servant so and so was ill and yet you did not visit him? Did you not know that if you had visited him, you soon would have found me with him?” —Hadith of Muslim

I am a Buddhist.

We of the Buddhist tradition are not occupied with the question of the existence or non-existence of gods. Some Buddhists find answers there, and some do not find the question important.

The founder of the Buddhist faith was born Siddhartha Gautama. He was born around 557 Before the

Common Era, to a royal Hindu family in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. At the age of 29, he renounced the worldly life and vowed to find the path that would lead him to end the suffering of the human condition for all sentient beings. At the age of 35, having applied his entire being in the practice of morality, meditation and wisdom, he experienced the subtlest reality of impermanence, and thereby attained nirvana, a peaceful, and undisturbed state of mind.

His teachings are the foundation of Buddhism and are known as the Dharma. Through them, we are taught to develop a loving, compassionate heart through the practice of morality, meditation and wisdom.

Eventually the Dharma spread throughout India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Tibet, and the entirety of Central Asia. In all these countries the Dharma was moulded and shaped in accordance with the experiences of the masters, who expressed the teachings in ways most suited to the time, culture and dispositions of those training under them. Thus, Buddhism came to have many faces, but the essence remains the same: to overcome negativity, to increase goodness, and to purify and liberate the mind.

There are differences in practice between Theravadin, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan practice of Buddhism. We do not need one form of Buddhism, just as the world does not require one religion. Although all humans are equal, each of us has our individual background, our unique way of seeing and appreciating things, our own spiritual and philosophical tastes. Just as the world has developed a variety of foods to fulfill the individual fancies of different peoples, the variety of religions and the subjects within religions is something positive, providing paths to develop loving kindness to a wider spectrum of people. Diversity is both beautiful and necessary.

The bodhisattva should adopt the same attitude toward all beings, his mind should be even toward all beings, he should not handle others with an uneven mind, but with a mind that is friendly, well-disposed, helpful, free from aversions, avoiding harm and hurt; he should handle others as if they were his mother, father, son or daughter. As a saviour of all beings should a bodhisattva should a bodhisattva behave toward all beings. So should he train himself if he wants to know full enlightenment. —Buddhism, Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines 321–22

I am a Jew.

We are a people of faith who believe that G-d is One and Absolute, and that our relationship to Him is a personal and intimate one.

We are bound together as a people through our history, our traditions and by our faith in G-d. Jews believe that the Almighty chose Abraham to introduce the concept of Monotheism into the world. This required G-d to establish a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants on an individual basis to further spiritual teachings that would be later identified with Jewish theology. The nature of this covenant was transformed to one of a national orientation when the Jewish people collectively received the Torah at Mount Sinai after Moses led the people to freedom from slavery in Egypt.

Within our community there are separate groups reflecting different perspectives on Jewish ideology. Among our denominations are the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionists. Among these major groups, we enjoy a very broad variety of beliefs and variations on ritual observances.

Many attempts have been made to catalogue the common elements, which all Jews believe, with limited success. The closest that anyone has ever come to creating such a list of Jewish beliefs is Rambam’s thirteen principles of faith:

1. G-d exists. 2. G-d is one and unique. 3. G-d is incorporeal. 4. G-d is eternal. 5. Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other. 6. The words of the prophets are true. ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 39 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

7. Moses. prophecies are true and Moses was the greatest of the prophets. 8. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah were given to Moses. 9. There will be no other Torah. 10. G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of man. 11. G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked. 12. The Messiah will come. 13. The Dead will be resurrected.

Jews everywhere believe strongly in the need for community to ensure the fulfillment of one's daily responsibilities. No one exists in a vacuum religiously or spiritually. Jews require a community to provide the forum through which the individual can discharge his obligations.

When the Holy One loves a man, He sends him a present in the shape of a poor man, so that he should perform some good deed to him, through the merit of which he may draw to himself a cord of grace. —Zohar, Genesis 104a

I am a Jain.

We are those who follow the Jinas, or “Conquerors.” He who has conquered love and hate, pleasure and pain, attachment and aversion, and has thereby freed his “soul” from the karmas, which obscure knowledge, perception, truth, and ability, is a Jina. We Jains refer to the Jina as God.

Jainism, or “The Jain Dharma” is among the oldest religions of the Indian subcontinent. We understand our religion to have been born in pre -historical times, before either written records or scriptures.

We live according to a strict and simple set of vows, all of which have logical conclusions: Ahimsa (nonviolence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Brahmacharya (chastity). Jain religion focuses attention on Aparigraha, or non-possessiveness towards material things through self-control, self-imposed penance, abstinence from over-indulgence, voluntary curtailment of one's needs, and the consequent subsiding of the aggressive urge.

We are strict vegetarians. This is a logical consequence of Ahimsa, or non-violence. This strict vegetarianism is as a practical means of living a non-violent and peaceful, co-operative co-existence.

Jainism, over thousands of years of existence, has never compromised on the concept of non-violence either in principle or practice. We uphold non-violence as the supreme religion and have insisted upon its bservance in thought, words, and deeds at an individual as well as social levels. Jain Scripture, the Tattvartha Sutra sums it up in the phrase “Parasparopagraho Jivanam” (all life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence).

The Jain religion believes in the equality of souls, irrespective of differing physical forms. These souls, human, animal, plants and microscopic living organisms, are of supreme value, and cannot be harmed. Humans, who are unique among living beings, are endowed with all the five senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and thinking; thus humans are expected to act responsibly towards all lives by being compassionate, ego less, fearless, forgiving, and rational.

Jainism offers us a quiet, overwhelmingly serious way of life, a cultural insistence on compassion, a society of ethics that has dramatically changed the world and will continue to effect change. Ours is an ecologically responsible way of life, which is non-violent in thought, speech, and action.

Cultivate friendliness towards all living beings, delight in the distinction and honour of others, compassion for miserable, lowly creatures and equanimity towards the vainglorious. —Jainism, Tattvartha Sutra 7.6 (Tr. by N. Tatia in “That Which Is.”)

I am a Christian.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and brings to the world the love and knowledge of God for the world.

I stand in unity with other Christians, of many denominations, in the affirmation of faith expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the Early Church.

I believe that the Church’s tradition of faith has been handed down through the ages and expressed by countless witnesses of faith who through life and death have claimed an undying commitment to the Lord of life. I believe that God offers this life in Eternity to all those who hear and respond to The Word.

I believe in one God, creator and preserver of the universe, who is the Unmoved Mover of all that is, who has no beginning and no end.

I believe that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a human life as a carpenter's son in Palestine, and died on Good Friday for the sins of the whole world, and who rose from the dead on the third day and after a number of appearances to His disciples and others, ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, sent to guide and support the life of the Christian Church, to guide us in The Truth, to nurture us in life and faith, and to empower us in mission and service, who as the third part of the Holy Trinity, will continue to be with the Church unto the end of time.

As a disciple of Jesus, I believe in the forgiveness of sin, in the truth of the Scriptures for salvation, in the sacraments and tradition of the Church, and in the victory of God’s Kingdom promised in Life Everlasting.

I believe in the mission to service expressed in the words of Jesus:

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” —Matthew 25:34-36 (NRSV)

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. —Hebrews 13:2

I am a Zoroastrian.

Our faith is said to have had the greatest impact on world religions of any of the great world religions. Once a powerful and widespread religion, today Zoroastrianism is practiced by only about 180 thousand people, with the major populations living in Iran, India and North America. Concepts such as heaven, hell, resurrection and final judgement are said to have been first articulated in our ancient faith. Monotheism itself is said to be a Zoroastrian concept, predating and influencing all of the other major monotheistic religions.

Our founder, Zarathushtra (in Greek, Zoroaster) is the prophet of this ancient tradition. Historians disagree on exactly when Zarathushtra lived but they agree that his faith system was the dominant world religion during the thousand years of Persian imperial dominion and influenced all those religions whose history intersects with these dates.

Zoroastrians believe in a single god, Ahura Mazda, the Supreme Being who is absolute in Goodness, Righteousness, and Purity. Zarathushtra taught the use of the Good Mind (Vohu Manah) and to think for oneself. “Listen with your ears and ponder with your enlightened mind, each human being, the teachings of your choice” (Ys 30.2). He speaks of the two primal Thought processes, or Mainyus manifested in

Nature. Spenta or the progressive and Angra or the retrogressive. The progressive mentality Spenta Mainyu leads to a life of Righteousness and eternal Bliss. The opposing thought process leads to a life not worth living. In time this concept has evolved as a cosmic conflict, the continual battle between the two forces of good and evil. In the end of times, good will overcome evil, and the duality of existence will resolve into ultimate goodness and light of Ahura Mazda.

The oldest Zoroastrian scriptures are the Gathas (meaning Songs) composed by Zarathushtra. They are made up of some 241 poetic hymns. Our other texts have been created over the centuries and still inform our practice.

Zarathushtra spoke of Saoshyant or Savior. He proclaimed that a human being, who by using their Good Mind, finds the path of Righteous life. Through Progressive Holy Mentality, the human being can become the Saviour. In a later tradition of the faith, the concept evolved into the coming of a saviour who would be born of a virgin, and would be of the lineage of the Prophet Zarathushtra.

The places of worship of Zoroastrians are known as the Fire temple. A Consecrated Fire is enthroned in those places as a physical incarnation of Ahura Mazda for the community to worship. The main guiding principle of the Zoroastrians is made clear by their motto: “Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.”

The Lord as well as the Spiritual leader are chosen in accordance with righteousness.

The actions in life generated by the Good Mind, are dedicated to the Wise Lord. The Lord empowers him, who rehabilitates the less privileged. —Ahunavar Prayer

I am a Hindu.

Hinduism is among the oldest faith systems in the world. It is known as the Hindu Dharma, or Sanatana (Eternal) Dharma. As the name implies, Hinduism has no founder, but is regarded as eternal, and therefore has always existed.

Hinduism has many forms and denominations, which bring variety and personal preference to the ways in which we worship. These various forms of worship focus on different aspects of the Divine Being and emphasise some principles and metaphors above some others. However, there are more than a billion Hindus around the world, and they share the basic dharma, or way of life of Hinduism, and agree on the following principles:

• That truth is God and one, though it is called by different names. • That all things and beings are the manifestation of one Supreme Being. • That all mankind is one family. • That all human beings are equal. • That the law of Karma states that as you sow, so shall you reap. • That harmlessness toward all creatures is the highest morality. • That when there is a decline of virtue, God incarnates Himself on earth to restore righteousness. • That all true religions lead to the same goal. • That the goal of existence is freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

Hindus do not rely on a single source of scripture, but revere many sacred writings including the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhaghvad Gita, the Mahabharata, the Shastras, Puranas, the Ramayan.

For Hindus, there is one Supreme Reality, or Brahman. This reality is both formless and of many different forms, both personal and impersonal, transcendent and imminent. The Supreme Reality becomes manifest in a variety of forms, and is known by different names. There are many ways by which individuals can realize God.

What sort of religion can it be without compassion? You need to show compassion to all living beings. Compassion is the root of all religious faiths. —Hinduism, Basavanna, Vacana 247 ______© 2007 Toronto District School Board - 42 - Days of Significance 2007–2008

I am a Sikh.

Ours is a progressive religion which was well ahead of its time even when it was founded over 500 years ago in the Punjab region of northern India. Between 1469 and 1708, ten Gurus taught a simple message of truthful living, devotion to one God, universal equality and denunciation of superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its 10 Gurus.

Often mistaken as a combination of Hinduism and Islam, our religion is a completely independent faith. Sikhism rejects idolatry, the caste system, ritualism, and asceticism. It recognizes the equality between both genders and equality among all religions; it prohibits the intake of tobacco or any intoxicants, and encourages an honest, truthful living.

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev, who was born in 1469. He was the first of ten Gurus who are all believed to have had the same soul, in ten different incarnations. The last guru, Guru Gobind Singh, sealed the Sikh scripture by naming the Granth Sahib to be the final and eternal Guru; a true incarnation of the teachings of the Gurus. The Sikhs worship only one Almighty God in his abstract form. We do not worship idols, images or photographs.

In 1669, the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh initiated the Baptismal Ceremony. Baptised Sikhs, known as the “Khalsa,” were instructed to carry five articles of faith: These “Five Ks” are: Kes—uncut hair; Kangha—a comb; Kara—a steel bracelet; Kacch—short breeches; Kirpan—a sword. Later, Guru Gobind Singh made the turban a mandatory article of clothing.

Male members of the Sikh Khalsa use the name, Singh (lion), as their middle or last name, while female initiates use the name, Kaur (princess). Our people are industrious and pioneering which accounts for our general success wherever we live and settle. The hard-working nature of the Sikhs is derived from our religion, which can be best characterized as a faith of unlimited optimism.

The Sikhs believe that all existence is controlled by one omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient Lord called by different names: Ishwar, Jehovah, Allah and Waheguru. For us, God is the eternal truth; he is beyond fear, enmity and death. He is unborn and is self illuminated. He himself is the creator, preserver and destroyer.

Without selfless service are no objectives fulfilled; in service lies the purest action. —Adi Granth, Maru, m.1,p992

I am a Wiccan.

Wicca is a modern, Earth-based religion, rooted in ancient systems of worship. It is a relatively new, “reconstruction,” loosely based on old world pagan religions and rites. Ours is one of a growing number of “neo-pagan” systems of worship, which honours earth, nature, and the operational principles of our reality. It is an initiatory, oath-bound mystery religion. We honour many gods and goddesses as aspects of the One God and One Goddess. At the same time, we recognize that all of creation is imbued with the Divine, and is respected as such.

At the centre of our code are two pillars which ground our ethics and our practice: The Wiccan Rede says “An it harm none, do as ye will” and The Threefold Law, that “What ye send returns three times over.”

Our rituals involve “casting a circle” by which action we define our physical sacred space, and the elements of earth, air, fire, and water, by which we honour the great forces of our world. We emphasize the balance of genders, either in the image of the God and Goddess, or in the mixed gender of the participants, or both. Our rituals usually incorporate some form of the “Great Rite,” which is the union of the God and the Goddess, which is frequently symbolized in the blessing of the ritual wine by the conjunction of the athame (ritual knife) and chalice (ritual wine cup).

The roots of our faith tradition are hard to trace; most Pagan faiths have suffered through hundreds of years of persecution, during which time untold people and records have been destroyed, silenced, and erased from human history.

Ours is a religion of small communities, reflecting its tribal origins. We also retain the old world structure of small, informal, autonomous groups which are known as covens, and which are led by elders who lead by the consent of the group. There are also many Wiccans who practice alone, who rarely, if ever meet or recognize other practitioners of the craft.

No practitioner of our Craft can authoritatively speak for all Wiccans. Each can speak for himself, or sometimes for her coven, but Wiccans have no central authority.

Just as there are many denominations within some other faith groups, Wicca embraces a variety of different traditions and this embrace has grown considerably more diverse over time.

We do not believe that our Craft is the only valid expression of religious life, and we do not seek converts. We offer an open path, and we welcome questions from the curious.

One day Jupiter and Mercury decided to take human form to enjoy a walk through a valley. Near the end of the day they started knocking on doors, presenting themselves as weary travelers, but nobody would take them in. The two began to climb out of the valley and eventually knocked on the door of a poor old couple named Baucis and Philemon. They offered their cheap food and wine and were startled to find that their bread box and wine pitcher seemed to be endlessly magically refilled with finer bread and excellent wine. The enchantment turned out to be permanent, and the obvious moral of the story is that one should always be hospitable to strangers because they might be a couple of gods traveling incognito.

I am a Unitarian Universalist.

We share an open-minded and warm-hearted religion. Our tradition has been nurtured by the Jewish and Christian faiths, but we are not confined within any one system of faith.

We do not assent to any creed or statement of belief; our covenant is with ourselves, and it obligates us to seek out truth for ourselves and to follow that truth wherever it may lead. We affirm the worth of all human beings, and trust people’s ability to think for themselves and build their own faith.

Unitarians recognize that people will differ in their opinions and lifestyles. We hold that these differences should be not only accepted but also genuinely supported, for each of us needs freedom to grow in ways that will encourage a similar freedom for all others to reach their own highest potentialities.

Reverend Brian Kiely of Edmonton put it this way:

"This is a church of people. It is for spiritual explorers and free thinkers. It is for people refining their values and parents wanting to teach those values to their children. It is for people who are sure about God, and for those who are not. It is for people who are concerned with injustice and people who are accepting of differences."

For Unitarian Universalists, there is no absolute Truth. We believe in an open search for truth and meaning. Truth cannot be embalmed for posterity. We jealously guard the right to know, to speak and to argue freely, according to conscience, within our own church and in society at large. We are opposed to censorship by church, state, or any other institution.

Unitarians accept the findings of science. When literalist interpretations of holy books conflict with demonstrable proof, we acknowledge the primacy of our human condition and of the individual to explore and make up his or her own mind.

We affirm the importance of this life, this “here and now.” We believe that living a good life now is the only possible preparation for any afterlife, which may await us. We encourage a sense of self-responsibility and social responsibility, as we believe that society will only be healed by individuals working toward the common good of all.

"This is the mission of our faith: To teach the fragile art of hospitality; To revere both the critical mind and the generous heart; To prove that diversity need not mean divisiveness; And to witness to all that we must hold the world in our hands.” —William Schultz

Aboriginal World View

A world view refers to the principles, values, traditions, and customs that a society has in order to make sense of the world. Once a world view has been formed, people are able to identify themselves as unique. Since Aboriginal peoples comprise many nations they have many world views. However, certain themes seem to be prevalent in most Aboriginal societies. There is, for example, less emphasis on hierarchies and more on interactional, mutually beneficial relationships. Co-operation is valued, and all views are respected and taken into consideration. There is recognition that there is harmony in diversity.

In analyzing the beliefs and practices of indigenous peoples from around the world. Knudston and Suzuki (1992) identified the following characteristics as distinguishing indigenous world views:

• Spirituality is embedded in all elements of the cosmos: the land, water, wind, Great Mystery, sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, and humans. • Time is circular, with natural cycles that sustain all life. • Humans have responsibility for maintaining harmonious relationships with the natural world. • There is a need for reciprocity between human and natural worlds – resources are viewed as gifts. • Nature will always possess unfathomable mysteries. • Nature is honoured routinely through daily, spiritual dialogue. • The human role is to participate in the orderly designs of nature. • Respect for Elders is based on compassion and reconciliation of outer and inner-directed knowledge. • There is a sense of empathy and kinship with all other forms of life. • Human thought, feelings, and words are inextricably bound to all other aspects of the universe. • The universe is viewed as a holistic, integrative system with unifying life force.

Sacred Circle Concept This is a holistic framework for teaching and assisting development and growth of the whole person, body, mind, spirit, and emotions in a respectful way for the entire period of an individual’s life. The sacred circle concept provides a healing process made up of three phases: belonging, understanding, and critical reflection.

Print Aboriginal Voices in the Curriculum: A Guide to Teaching Aboriginal Studies in K–8 Classrooms (Revised 2006). Toronto: Toronto District School Board, 2006.

Calendar Systems

Buddhism Buddhist calendars are as varied as the different schools and traditions that make up the faith. In addition, different Buddhist traditions use different calendar systems; the TDSB acknowledges that dates of holy days may vary accordingly. This curricular resource includes observances common to most Buddhist traditions.

Please contact the TDSB Human Rights Office if date clarification is needed for the purposes of application for religious accommodation.

Christian Christians use one of two solar calendars: the Julian (Eastern Orthodox) or the Gregorian (Western). Fixed feasts, such as Christmas and Epiphany, occur on the same day every year. Movable feasts, such as Easter, are set in relation to the moon and the March equinox. Their dates vary from year to year. Generally, Julian calendar dates will follow the Gregorian calendar dates by up to one to five weeks.

Hinduism Hindus’ cultural heritage is Indian and they use Indian calendars, such as the Bikarami and the Saka, to determine festivals. The calendars are lunar, but Hindus add a month every second or third year to bring them into phase with the solar year. Many Hindu festivals are observed only locally or regionally.

Islam The Islamic calendar is based on lunar reckoning. The months begin with the appearance of the new moon and alternate in length between 29 and 30 days. Consequently, dates will shift about ten days from year to year on the Gregorian calendar. It takes 32½ years for a given Islamic calendar date to correspond once again with the same Gregorian calendar. The dating of the Islamic calendar begins with the migration (Hijra) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.

Judaism The Jewish calendar is “lunisolar” and a year consists of 12 or 13 lunar months. An extra month is added periodically to bring the lunar year back into phase with the solar year. The annual cycle of festivals begins with the month of Nisan (March or April), Pesah being the first festival of the year. Jewish years are numbered from the creation of the world. Like all Jewish calendar days, the holy days run from sunset to sunset, so the new year begins at sundown.

A Note on Resources Included in This Guide

TDSB Library and Learning Resources has provided expertise and experience in the selection of book titles, video/DVD titles, and Internet sites for many of the included Days of Significance. • * denotes Junior/Intermediate (Grades 4–6/7–8) • ** denotes Senior (Grades 9–12) • All videos/DVDs listed are recent acquisitions available through TDSB Library Media Resources. Please check . • Only educational websites have been included. Some educational materials, or synopsis of educational materials, may also be found at commercial sites.

We appreciate hearing from you! If you have used helpful resources for your classroom and schools, please contact us at the Equity Department so that this document can reflect the latest and best resources available.

2007–2008 Days of Significance

September 8, 2007: International Day of Literacy (United Nations)

The International Day of Literacy, established by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization), is celebrated in many countries around the world on September 8.

The International Day of Literacy was established in 1966 to reaffirm annually the crucial role played by reading and writing in individual empowerment, sustainable development, and social justice. It is important for schools to realize that despite great efforts to battle illiteracy, some 880 million adults worldwide—two-thirds of them women—are illiterate in this first decade of the twenty-first century. Over 120 million children are not provided with education. By looking at both the local and international factors that prevent the creation of a fully literate world, school communities can learn how to prevent illiteracy, promote literacy, and rededicate themselves to this struggle.

Some of the things that can be undertaken do to mark International Day of Literacy include the following: • Sponsor a child in a reading program. • Give a book as a gift. • Volunteer to read to patients in a hospital or nursing home. • Read a book aloud to a child. • Teach someone to read. • Donate books to a women’s shelter. • Visit your local library.

Print Bogart, Jo Ellen. Jeremiah Learns to Read. Markham, ON: Scholastic, 2003. ISBN 0439987563.

**Greaney, Vincent, Ed. Promoting Reading in Developing Countries. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 1996. ISBN 0872072398.

*Greenwald, Sheila. It All Began with Jane Eyre, or, the Secret Life of Franny Dillman. Boston: Little, Brown, 1980. ISBN 0316326712.

*Paulsen, Gary. Nightjohn. New York: Delacorte Press, 1993. ISBN 0385308388.

Polacco, Patricia. Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair. New York: Philomel Books, 1996. ISBN 0399229434.

Rahaman, Vashanti. Read for Me, Mama. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 1997. ISBN 1563973138.

Websites “International Literacy Day, 8 September.” Dag Hammarskjöld Library. .

“International Literacy Day, Sept. 8, 2006.” Crayola. .

PBS Teachers. .

September 11, 2007: New Year (Christian – Coptic/Egyptian/Ethiopian)

The Coptic calendar is the oldest known calendar in the world and was established by the great Egyptian astronomer Toot 6241 years ago. New Year is one of the most important events of the Coptic calendar and one of the great festivals.

This is a day for Coptics (Christians of Egyptian origin) to celebrate the Coptic New Year and the Feast of Martyrs, which commemorates the persecution of Egyptian Christians and the massacre of the Coptics under Roman Emperor Diocletian in 204 CE. Celebrations typically involve a procession of icons of the martyrs and a special feast in the presence of friends, family, and community members.

For members of the Ethiopian Orthodox community, whose Church also has strong Coptic roots, the New Year is a chance to celebrate the new month, as well as the Feast of St. John the Baptist. The day is called Enkutatash, meaning the “gift of jewels.” This name stems from the story of the Queen of Sheba and her return from her visit to Solomon in Jerusalem, where her chiefs welcomed her back with enku, or jewels. Celebrations of this day typically involve wearing new clothes, singing hymns, attending a sermon, and gathering for a special meal with family and friends.

Print Ashabranner, Brent K., and Russell Davis. The Lion’s Whiskers and Other Ethiopian Tales. Rev. ed. North Haven, CT: Linnett Books, 1997. ISBN 0208024298.

*Behnia, Behnam. Ethiopia. Ottawa, ON: Catholic Immigration Centre, 1998. ISBN 1896592058.

Bennett, Olivia. A Family in Egypt. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 1985, 1983. ISBN 0822516527.

*Gish, Steven. Ethiopia. Rev. ed. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 1996. ISBN 0761402764.

Websites “Canadian Holidays & Celebrations.” Oracle Education Foundation – ThinkQuest. .

“Coptic: New Year’s Ambience: Coptic New Year’s Service.” Pulse of the Planet. .

September 13–14, 2007*: Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins this year at sunset on September 12. Like all Jewish calendar days, the holy days run from sunset to sunset.

Rosh Hashanah is the festival of the New Year for many Jews. It is observed for two days to celebrate the creation of the world. During this time, many Jews reflect upon the deeds of last year and the need for redemption.

This is a religious event that is spent reminding Jews of their spiritual needs and to reinforce social relationships. Rosh Hashanah is a time for both celebration and contemplation. Preparing festive meals for family and friends is common, and visiting the graves of deceased family members is also important.

In this period of celebration, reverence, and prayer, a happy New Year to staff, students, their families, and members of the community who observe the High Holidays.

(Adapted from Brodd, Jeffrey, World Religions: A Voyage of Discovery. Winona, MN: St. Mary’s Press, 1998, p. 207)

Print Adler, David A. The Kids’ Catalog of Jewish Holidays. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 1996. ISBN 0827605811.

Blumberg, Margie. Avram’s Gift. Bethesda, MD: MB Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0962416622.

Chaikin, Miriam. Sound the Shofar: The Story and Meaning of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. New York: Clarion Books, 1986. ISBN 0899194273.

Fishman, Cathy Goldberg. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1997. ISBN 0689805268.

Kimmel, Eric A. Days of Awe: Stories for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. New York: Viking, 1991. ISBN 067082772X.

---. Gershon’s Monster: A Story for the Jewish New Year. New York: Scholastic, 2000. ISBN 043910839X.

Kimmelman, Leslie. Sound the Shofar! A Story for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. ISBN 0060276014.

Levin, Carol. A Rosh Hashanah Walk. Minneapolis, MN: Kar-Ben Publishing, 1987. ISBN 093049709.

Patterson, Jose. A Happy New Year. London: Evans Brothers, 1992, 1987. ISBN 0237601362.

Podwal, Mark. A Sweet Year: A Taste of the Jewish Holidays. New York: Doubleday, 2003. ISBN 0385746377.

Pushker, Gloria Teles. Toby Belfer and the High Holy Days. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-56554-765-9.

Rau, Dana Meachen. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Danbury, CT: Children’s Press, 2001.

Weilerstein, Sadie Rose. K’tonton’s Yom Kippur Kitten. Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society, 1995. ISBN 0827605412.

*Yolen, Jane. Milk and Honey: A Year of Jewish Holidays. New York: Putnam, 1996. ISBN 0399226524.

Zalben, Jane Breskin. Happy New Year, Beni. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 1993. ISBN 0805019618.

Zucker, Johnny. Apples and Honey: A Rosh Hashanah Story. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Services, 2002. ISBN 0764122657.

Video Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur. Holidays for Children Series. Prod. Magic Lantern Communications. Videocassette. Schlessinger Media, 2004. (25 minutes). (#056302 – Available from Library Media Resources: ). Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and Forgiveness, are the two High Holidays of the Jewish calendar. Children are introduced to the deep religious significance of these holidays through a traditional prayer, a Tashlikh ceremony, folk songs, and animated fables. They learn what the foods associated with these holidays symbolize, the special clothing that is worn, the importance of the Torah and of performing good deeds throughout the year, as well as how to make greeting cards wishing health and happiness.

Website Kramer, Amy J. “Rosh Hashanah: Religious Meaning.” EverythingJewish.com. .

September 13 – October 13, 2007*: Ramadan (Islam)

Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and contemplation for Muslims, begins on the evening of September 12 if there is a clear sighting of the moon.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is referred to in the Qu’ran (Koran) as a blessed month in which the teachings of the Qu’ran were revealed to the prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, most Muslims fast during the hours of daylight and also increase their focus on prayer and contemplation. At the end of each day, the fast is traditionally broken with a prayer and a light meal called the iftar.

Ramadan is considered a time for Muslims to recommit themselves to practising compassion and generosity for others, as well as a time to cultivate spiritual renewal within themselves and their communities.

Schools should be acknowledging this day through activities that promote understanding and learning for all students.

Print Ahsan, M.M. Muslim Festivals. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Enterprises, 1987. ISBN 086592979.

Ali, Aminah Ibrahim. The Three Muslim Festivals. Chicago: IQRA International Educational Foundation, 1998. ISBN 156316308X.

El-Moslimany, Ann Paxton. Zaki’s Ramadhan Fast. Seattle, WA: Amica Publishing House, 1994. ISBN 1884187080.

Ghazi, Suhaib Hamid. Ramadan. 1st ed. New York: Holiday House, 1996. ISBN 0832412547.

Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Celebrating Ramadan. New York: Holiday House, 2001. ISBN 0823415813.

MacMillan, Dianne M. Ramadan and Id al-Fitr. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 1994. ISBN 0894905023.

Marchant, Kerena. Id-ul-Fitr. London: Wayland, 1996. ISBN 0750219386.

Marx, David F. Ramadan. Rookie Read-About Holidays Series. Markham, ON: Scholastic, 2002. ISBN 0516273779.

Matthews, Mary. Magid Fasts for Ramadan. New York: Clarion Books, 1996. ISBN 0395665892.

Videos A Blessed Ramadan. Videocassette. SoundVision, 2001.

Ramadan. Holidays for Children Series. Prod. Schlessinger Video Productions. Videocassette. Magic Lantern Communications, Ltd., 1996. (29 minutes) (#054758 – Available from Library Media Resources: ). Over one billion Muslims worldwide observe Ramadan, a month-long religious observance that begins on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Children discover the significance of song and prayer as they construct their own Ramadan diorama and hear the exotic sounds of Islamic and Middle Eastern music. Presents the religious principles and traditions that mark the holiest of the Islamic holidays. Children learn the story of Muhammad and the Koran, the meaning of the Five Pillars of Islam and the importance of fasting, prayer, and sacrifice.

Unveiled: The Truth Behind the Myth. (23 minutes). Prod. Fortune Cookie Productions, Inc. Narr. Seema Mehta and Saddiya Ibrahim. Videocassette. McNabb Connolly, 2003. (23 minutes) (#107291 – Available from Library Media Resources: ). This program views the trials and tribulations of adolescent life through the lens of a Muslim girl attending high school in Toronto. At first, Sadiyya Ibrahim seems to be an unlikely representative of her student body. Cloaked from head to toe in her religious attire, she best appears to fit the stereotyped image of the shy, oppressed Muslim girl seen in the media. But, by allowing her inner voice to guide her through the vices of peer pressure and discrimination, Sadiyya silences all skeptics with her larger-than-life personality—proving that heroes can come in all shapes, sizes, and appearances. Sensitive – previewing recommended.

Website Ramadan on the Net. .

September 21–22, 2007*: Yom Kippur (Judaism)

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, begins this year at sunset, September 21. Yom Kippur is the tenth and last day of the New Year, the most religious time of the year for many Jews. The High Holy Days, or Days of Awe, are a time both for reflecting on the year passed and for celebrating the year ahead. Many families attend synagogue, praying for peace among nations, among peoples, and within themselves in the coming year.

Yom Kippur is a deeply personal and solemn day, observed by confessing sins and abstaining from food, drink, and work.