Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person simply because they are human. In education, human rights protect students from discrimination and require schools to provide equal access to learning and participation. This includes ensuring that students are not excluded, treated unfairly, or denied opportunities because of characteristics such as disability, race, gender, religion, or family status. In British Columbia, these protections are set out in the British Columbia Human Rights Code, which requires schools and school districts to prevent discrimination and to accommodate students’ needs to the point of undue hardship. Human rights protections recognise that equal treatment does not always mean identical treatment; sometimes different supports or accommodations are necessary so that all students can access education on an equitable basis.