Catherine Alexander
| WORKSITE: |
OT |
| JOB TITLE: |
Secondary Teacher |
| BARGAINING UNIT: |
TBU/OTBU |
My name is Catherine Alexander (0.5 TBU/0.5 OTBU), and I have been an OCT since 2003. My professional pedagogy and goals are entrenched in equity. I am particularly vested in the intersectionality of racism and ableism, a systemic barrier to both OSSTF teachers and UCDSB students.
I am a fierce advocate for human rights. During my tenure as the Head of Special Education at two Toronto secondary schools from 2009 to 2022 (District 12), I began investing my professional development into education laws and how they intertwine with the Ontario Human Rights Code. I taught at schools where many parents were lawyers, and if not, then they could certainly afford them, and as the Head of Special Education, I was regularly threatened with legal consequences should I not do what I was told. Inherently understanding what Special Education really means, as in the true meaning of equity, I dug deep into Special Education laws, including the OHRC’s Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities (2018). From here, I was able to advocate for both teachers and parents for equity of all learners as it pertained to the law.
Furthermore, the Toronto District School Board provided extensive professional development to its teachers on equity and anti-oppression. In the Master's of Professional Education in Teaching Students with Exceptionalities (Western, ‘21), I gained further tools to advocate for the inalienable human rights of teachers and students.
This past year, I have served as a member of the Committee for Equity & Diversity (CfED) and organized District 26’s first walk in the Brockville Pride Parade (June 2025). In addition, I am the current Education Services Officer for the OTBU Executive and was honoured to have been a part of November’s A.I. conference in Toronto.
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