Here is a definition of the terminology used on this site.

• trust: Expectations placed on parents to accept reassurances. Schools demand parents trust professional judgment, believe promises of future action, accept verbal commitments without documentation, and interpret delays charitably. Trust rhetoric positions documentation and verification as signs of bad faith rather than reasonable protection. Schools invoke trust to discourage advocacy whilst violating that trust through broken promises, denial, and gaslighting, then characterise resulting scepticism as parent pathology. Learn more
• trust and trustworthiness: Difference between promised and demonstrated reliability. Trust is an expectation schools demand from families; trustworthiness is the quality schools must earn through consistent follow-through, transparent communication, accountability for harm, and demonstrated commitment to student welfare. Schools often conflate the two, treating their demand for trust as evidence of their trustworthiness. Families recognise trustworthiness through pattern recognition, assessing whether institutions honour commitments or merely extract compliance. Learn more
• truth: Truth refers to an accurate and honest account of events or experiences. In institutional contexts, truth involves acknowledging what occurred, recognising the impact of actions, and ensuring that accounts of events are not distorted or minimised. Establishing truth can be important in processes of investigation, accountability, and repair. When institutions fail to acknowledge truthfully what has occurred, trust can be eroded and harm may remain unresolved. Learn more
• Truth and Reconciliation: Truth and Reconciliation refers to the national effort to acknowledge and address the historical and ongoing harms caused by colonial policies in Canada, particularly the residential school system that forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada documented the experiences of survivors and issued Calls to Action aimed at repairing relationships and addressing the lasting impacts of colonial policies. In education, Truth and Reconciliation involves recognising this history and working toward systems that respect Indigenous rights, cultures, and perspectives. Learn more
• twice exceptional: Twice exceptional refers to students who are both gifted and have a disability or learning difference, such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia. These students may demonstrate advanced abilities in some areas while needing significant support in others. Because their strengths and challenges can mask each other, twice-exceptional students are sometimes misunderstood within education systems that expect ability to appear in consistent ways. Without appropriate recognition and support, these students may struggle academically or emotionally despite having high potential. Learn more
• unsafe school conditions: Unsafe school conditions refer to environments where physical, emotional, or psychological safety is compromised. Unsafe conditions may involve bullying, violence, discrimination, inadequate supervision, or environments where students feel unable to seek help when problems arise. When safety concerns persist without meaningful response, students may experience increased anxiety, disengagement from school, or difficulty concentrating on learning. Addressing unsafe conditions requires both preventative measures and responsive systems that act when concerns are raised. Learn more
• validation: Validation refers to acknowledging that another person’s experiences, feelings, or perspective are real and meaningful. Validation does not necessarily mean agreeing with every interpretation of events, but it involves recognising that someone’s experience deserves to be heard and taken seriously. In institutional settings, validation can help build trust and create space for constructive dialogue. When people feel that their experiences are dismissed or ignored, the resulting sense of invalidation can deepen conflict and make resolution more difficult. Learn more
• vicarious trauma: Vicarious trauma refers to the emotional impact experienced by individuals who are repeatedly exposed to other people’s traumatic experiences. Parents, advocates, educators, or professionals who regularly hear about harm or distress may experience changes in their own emotional responses, stress levels, or sense of safety. Vicarious trauma can develop gradually over time and may affect well-being if individuals do not have opportunities for support or recovery. Learn more
• wellbeing: Wellbeing refers to a person’s overall state of physical, emotional, and social health. In education contexts, student wellbeing includes factors such as safety, belonging, supportive relationships, and the ability to participate meaningfully in learning. Recognising wellbeing as a central goal of education acknowledges that academic success is closely connected to emotional and social conditions. Learn more
• when to escalate: Decision points for moving to formal complaint. Families face decisions about when to shift from informal advocacy to formal processes, weighing ongoing harm against escalation costs, relationship damage, and retaliation risk. Escalation becomes necessary when informal advocacy produces only delay or denial, when harm is severe or sustained, when schools refuse accountability, or when pattern evidence suggests systemic rather than isolated failure. Recognising escalation thresholds helps families protect children whilst conserving limited advocacy resources. Learn more
• whistleblowers: Whistleblowers are individuals who report wrongdoing, unsafe practices, or unethical behaviour within an organisation. Whistleblowing may involve sharing information with oversight bodies, regulatory authorities, or the public when internal processes fail to address serious concerns. Whistleblowers often play an important role in exposing systemic problems that might otherwise remain hidden. Learn more
• withholding recess: Withholding recess refers to the disciplinary practice of removing a student’s access to recess as a consequence for behaviour or unfinished work. While sometimes intended as a behavioural deterrent, recess provides important opportunities for movement, social interaction, and regulation. Removing recess can disproportionately affect students who most need opportunities for physical activity or emotional reset during the school day. Learn more
• witness: A witness is a person who observes an event or has knowledge of circumstances relevant to a particular situation. In investigations or complaint processes, witnesses may provide testimony about what they saw or experienced. Witness accounts can help clarify events and provide additional perspectives on situations under review. Learn more
• written agreements: Written agreements are documented commitments between parties outlining expectations, responsibilities, or actions to be taken. In school contexts, written agreements may be used to record decisions made during meetings, clarify supports that will be provided to a student, or confirm steps that both families and schools have agreed to take. Having agreements documented in writing can reduce misunderstandings and create a clear record of commitments. Learn more
• zones of regulation: Zones of Regulation is a classroom framework developed by Leah Kuypers that groups emotions and levels of alertness into colour-coded “zones” intended to help students identify how they are feeling and choose strategies for self-regulation. The model is widely used in schools as a social-emotional learning tool. However, many neurodivergent advocates and educators have raised concerns about how it is implemented. The framework assumes that students can accurately identify and verbally label internal emotional states, which can be difficult for individuals who experience alexithymia or who process emotions primarily through sensory or bodily signals rather than language. In practice, some schools use the zones system to monitor or correct behaviour rather than to expand students’ range of regulation strategies. This can unintentionally create a hierarchy where certain emotional states are treated as “acceptable” and others as problems to fix. Critics argue that regulation support should include multiple approaches—such as movement, sensory input, and environmental adjustments—rather than relying primarily on self-reporting emotional categories. Learn more