From the Editor - Spring 2026

This Spring issue of Voice considers the strategies we use to ensure that students, communities and union members are supported, represented and reflected in our schools, our classrooms and in our organization as a whole. As President David Mastin writes, “A key part of mobilization is ensuring every voice is not only heard but celebrated within our union, public education system and the broader labour movement.”

In Building a Union for All: Sustaining the Work of Justice, Joy and Institutional Change, Tamla Young considers the transformative steps ETFO and other organizations must continue to take to ensure Black members are supported, represented and protected from racism. “The Federation’s commitment to the Second International Decade for People of African Descent requires more than symbolism; it must include measurable action that positively impacts children’s lives and educators’ careers.”

In The Auditors in the Stacks: How Grade 3-4 Students Reshaped their School Library, Karen Devonish-Mazzotta and Leanna Bornstein write about teaching their students to look for characters and stories that represent their school community and experiences when assessing the relevance of the books in their library. In Culture, Connections and Curriculum, Asha Nagpal writes about supporting French literacy in the diverse school in which she teaches, focusing on how she embraces plurilingualism and students’ identities to help students make linguistic connections and share more about their cultural knowledge and traditions.

In The Heart of Inclusion: An ESP’s Vital Role in a System Under Strain, Nancy Campbell writes about her work supporting students, how that job has changed since she started 25 years ago and the impact of funding cuts – not only on students with disabilities, but all students in her school.

Neema Patel reflects on teaching her students about food justice and food security as they gathered supplies for their community food cupboard in Planting the Seeds of Change: A Grade 7-8 Journey into Advocacy and Food Justice. “To begin,” she writes, “we took time to understand the root causes of food insecurity; low wages, inflation, housing instability and systemic inequities.”

Also in this issue, A Members’ Guide to Artificial Intelligence and Professional Judgement, some great new book reviews and a crossword puzzle to solve for ETFO prizes.

Happy spring everyone!

– Izida Zorde