As the letter affirms, ETFO wholeheartedly supports the purpose of the SAPP (Sexual Abuse Prevention Program) as we care deeply about the safety and well-being of the students we have the privilege to serve. To ensure this mandatory program is accessed in a way that ensures its successful completion, ETFO is asking the OCT to revisit the SAPP’s implementation. ETFO’s asks are outlined in the letter and include:
- extending the deadline for completion to December 31, 2022, from August 31, 2022, so that the training can be completed during a Professional Activity (PA) Day in the fall of 2022;
- supports for members who are themselves victims of sexual abuse and for whom the training may be traumatizing or re-traumatizing; and
- consideration for members who may be on leave and unavailable before the start of next school year, or who require medical accommodation to complete this new requirement.