Media Advisory - Teacher leaders to discuss cyber-bullying policy at annual meeting in Toronto

    OTTAWA, July 5 /CNW Telbec/ - (CTF News Service) The Canadian Teachers'
Federation (CTF) will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Toronto next
week, July 11-14, at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel to discuss education issues
of current import, including the impact of cyber-bullying on teachers and
classroom learning.
    "One of the greatest impacts on learning has been the creation of new
technologies," says CTF President Winston Carter. "Despite the potential
benefits of having electronic technologies more present in our teaching and
learning environments, there is increasing evidence that they are becoming
extraordinarily and unacceptably invasive. The use of e-mail, cell phones,
text messages, instant messaging, and social networking Web sites are too
often used to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviors intended to
harm others. It's called cyber-bullying and it's a behavior that can spin out
of control."
    "What is needed is collaboration, a co-operative effort by students,
parents, teachers, law enforcement agencies, policy-makers and legislators to
regain some control over the negative impacts of technology on the classroom
in order to let our teachers teach and our children learn in an environment
safe from any bully, including the emerging cyber-bully."
    Discussion at the upcoming AGM will help determine CTF's response to this
issue and lay the groundwork for future collaborative efforts at the national
level.

    Sessions open to media:

    Thurs., July 12
    7:00 p.m.    Greetings by Jan Eastman, Deputy Secretary, Education
                 International
    7:30 p.m.    CTF President, Winston Carter, speaking on the theme of
                 Teaching at the Core of Learning

    Fri., July 13
    9:00 a.m.    Communications Technology Policy Resolution: discussion of
                 policy development with respect to the appropriate use by
                 students, teachers, parents and the general public of new
                 communications technologies including, but not limited to,
                 e-mail, Web 2, blogs, social networking Internet sites, text
                 messaging, and cell phones within the context of schools and
                 the professional lives of teachers and administrators.

    11:45 a.m.   Recognition Awards honouring three outstanding education
                 leaders whose professionalism, creativity and dedication
                 have advanced the teaching profession in Canada.
                 Public Education Advocacy Award recognizing a person outside
                 the teaching profession who has made major contributions to
                 promote public education in Canada.

    Sat., July 14
    10:40 a.m.   Election of four vice-presidents for a one-year term

    The CTF AGM, the highest legislative body of the federation, is held
every year to report on activities from the past year and to establish the
budget, priorities and activities for the coming year. The AGM engages the
delegates of Member organizations in debate and discussion on key issues and
resolutions that have an impact on public education, students, and teachers
nationally.
    CTF speaks for 220,000 teachers in Canada as their national voice on
education and related social issues. CTF membership includes Member
organizations in every province and territory in Canada.
    CTF (http://ww.ctf-fce.ca) is also a member of the international body of
teachers, Education International (http://www.ei-ie.org).

    Comments: Winston Carter, CTF President, 613-232-1505

For further information: Linda Hiles, Interim Director of
Communications, (613) 232-1505, ext.130 until July 11, and (613) 614-5658 from
July 11-14, 2007