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

• dignity: Dignity refers to the inherent worth of every student and the expectation that they will be treated with respect, safety, and humanity within the school environment. In education, dignity means that students are not only physically safe but also protected from humiliation, unnecessary control, exclusion, or practices that undermine their sense of belonging and self-worth. For disabled students, dignity includes having their needs recognised and accommodated without being shamed, ignored, or treated as a burden. It means being supported in ways that preserve autonomy and participation in school life, rather than being isolated, restrained, or excluded when challenges arise. Dignity also applies to how concerns are handled. When families raise issues about safety, access, or support, their experiences should be taken seriously and addressed respectfully. Dismissing concerns, minimising harm, or framing legitimate advocacy as a problem can erode both family trust and student well-being. Upholding dignity requires schools to balance safety, learning, and support in ways that respect the humanity of every student. Policies and responses should aim not only to manage behaviour or maintain order, but to ensure that students are treated as valued members of the school community. Learn more
• disability: Disability refers to physical, cognitive, neurological, sensory, or mental health differences that interact with environments in ways that can create barriers to full participation. Disability is not defined only by a medical diagnosis; it also reflects how systems, expectations, and environments respond to human variation. In education, disability may include conditions such as autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, chronic health conditions, or mental health differences. A student may be considered disabled when these differences affect how they access learning, communicate, regulate emotions, move through spaces, or participate in school activities. Under the British Columbia Human Rights Code, disability is a protected ground. Schools have a legal duty to accommodate students with disabilities so they can access education on an equitable basis. This duty includes identifying barriers, implementing reasonable accommodations, and adjusting environments or expectations when necessary. Disability does not mean a student is less capable or less deserving of opportunity. It recognises that people learn and function in different ways, and that equitable education requires systems flexible enough to support those differences. Learn more
• disability accommodation: Learn more
• disability advocacy: Learn more
• disability discrimination: Disability discrimination occurs when a student is treated unfairly, excluded, or denied access to education because of disability. Discrimination can be direct—for example, refusing a student participation in an activity—or indirect, when rules or practices that appear neutral create barriers for disabled students. In schools, disability discrimination often appears when necessary accommodations are not provided or are inconsistently implemented. A student may be disciplined for behaviour related to their disability, expected to meet the same standards without appropriate support, or placed in environments that do not account for their learning, sensory, or regulation needs. Under the British Columbia Human Rights Code, disability is a protected ground. Schools have a legal duty to accommodate students with disabilities to the point of undue hardship. This means schools must take reasonable steps to identify barriers and adjust policies, environments, or teaching approaches so students can access education on an equitable basis. Disability discrimination does not always involve intent. It often arises when systems are designed around a narrow idea of how students should behave or learn. Recognising discrimination is an important step toward ensuring that disabled students can participate fully and safely in school life. Learn more
• disability justice: Framework centring disabled students' rights and dignity. Disability justice recognises ableism as systemic violence, challenges medical model deficit narratives, affirms neurodivergent and disabled ways of being, and demands material redistribution rather than conditional inclusion. Disability justice names accommodation as obligation rather than charity, treats access as collective responsibility, centres the voices of disabled people, and understands educational exclusion as connected to broader structures of marginalisation, incarceration, and abandonment. Learn more
• disability rights: Disability rights are the legal and practical protections that require disabled students to have equitable access, dignity, participation, and accommodation. In schools, disability rights focus on removing barriers rather than expecting children to become less disabled to fit the environment. Learn more
• disability rights in education: Disability rights in education means applying human rights principles to school access, learning, discipline, safety, communication, and participation. It asks whether the system has identified and removed disability-related barriers up to the point of undue hardship. Learn more
• disability support: Learn more
• disability-related behaviour: Disability-related behaviour is behaviour connected to a student’s disability, unmet needs, sensory overload, trauma, communication differences, distress, or lack of support. Treating it only as misconduct can hide the accommodation issue and increase exclusion. Learn more
• disabled children: Disabled children are children whose access to school is affected by physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental, learning, mental health, or medical barriers. Their rights include safety, dignity, support, participation, and meaningful access to education. Learn more
• disabled parenting: Disabled parenting refers to the experience of parents or caregivers who have disabilities themselves while raising and advocating for their children. When a disabled parent is also advocating for a disabled child, the challenges of navigating systems can be intensified. Disabled parents may face barriers such as inaccessible communication, meeting formats that do not accommodate sensory or processing differences, assumptions about credibility or competence, or expectations that require high levels of executive functioning, travel, or time. These barriers can make participation in school processes—such as meetings, documentation requests, or ongoing advocacy—more difficult. At the same time, disabled parents often bring important lived knowledge about disability, accommodation, and accessibility. Their insights can be valuable in understanding what supports a child may need to thrive. Recognising disabled parenting means acknowledging that accessibility must extend beyond the student to the family’s participation in decision-making. Schools and institutions have a responsibility to ensure that parents with disabilities can engage meaningfully in processes affecting their child, with communication, meeting structures, and expectations that are accessible and respectful. Learn more
• disabled students: Disabled students are learners whose school access requires accommodation, support, adapted planning, or barrier removal. The focus belongs on equal participation in school life, not merely enrolment or occasional presence in a classroom. Learn more
• disabled-children: Disabled children describes children who experience barriers because school environments, expectations, or supports are not designed around their needs. The term centres the child’s rights and dignity rather than treating access as a discretionary service. Learn more
• Discrimination: Discrimination occurs when a student is treated unfairly, excluded, or denied access to education because of disability. Discrimination can be direct—for example, refusing a student participation in an activity—or indirect, when rules or practices that appear neutral create barriers for disabled students. In schools, disability discrimination often appears when necessary accommodations are not provided or are inconsistently implemented. A student may be disciplined for behaviour related to their disability, expected to meet the same standards without appropriate support, or placed in environments that do not account for their learning, sensory, or regulation needs. Under the British Columbia Human Rights Code, disability is a protected ground. Schools have a legal duty to accommodate students with disabilities to the point of undue hardship. This means schools must take reasonable steps to identify barriers and adjust policies, environments, or teaching approaches so students can access education on an equitable basis. Disability discrimination does not always involve intent. It often arises when systems are designed around a narrow idea of how students should behave or learn. Recognising discrimination is an important step toward ensuring that disabled students can participate fully and safely in school life. Learn more
• discrimination complaints: Learn more
• dissociation: Learn more
• district accountability: Learn more
• district appeal: A district appeal is an internal process used to challenge a decision made by a school. The appeal is usually made first to the superintendent and, if the issue is not resolved, may proceed to the board of education. Each school district sets its own appeal policy, procedures, and timelines. Many districts require families to follow this internal appeal process before a matter can proceed under Section 11 of the School Act (British Columbia). Because of this, the district appeal is often the first step when formally challenging a school decision. A district appeal can sometimes result in a decision being reconsidered or modified, or in the district directing a school to take specific action. It also creates a written record of the concern and the district’s response. However, district appeals have limits. The process cannot go beyond the board of education, and it cannot award compensation or make findings of discrimination. Districts describe and structure their appeal processes in different ways. This site provides a page for each district outlining the relevant policy and how to start the process. Learn more
• division: Strategies that isolate families or pit stakeholders against each other. Schools cultivate division by sharing different information with different parties, positioning parents against teachers, framing advocates as adversarial, or suggesting other families are satisfied. Division prevents collective recognition of systemic patterns, individualises harm, and ensures families lack the solidarity necessary to demand accountability. Division operates through confidentiality rhetoric, professional hierarchy, and competitive scarcity that positions families as rivals for limited support. Learn more