Respect is crucial, both in our professional and personal lives.
As a union, a core part of our work is our advocacy to ensure professional respect for all members: teachers, school support staff, principals and our trainers in the VET and ELICOS sectors.
The theme of respect is very much at the centre of this edition of IE.
In Raise the voice we examine the urgent need to show respect to First Nations Peoples by ensuring a right to Voice in Parliament is enshrined in the Australian Constitution.
This is critical if we are to continue to move towards reconciliation as a country.
At a sector level, we examine the need to reinforce professional respect for the teaching profession within the community.
That advocacy is essential both in terms of countering the rise of anti-worker forces seeking to set education policy (Anti-worker forces in education policy) and in regard to recognising the needs of our ELICOS members given the devastating impacts of the pandemic to their sector (Rebuilding the ELICOS sector).
When it comes to ensuring respect for members working in our schools, the case studies in When women lead boys schools consider the gender issues in leadership of boys schools, while the impact of disrespectful behaviour is evident in the latest health and wellbeing study of principals (A matter of principals).
Ensuring our students and the next generation of Australians experience more respectful relationships at school, at home and at work is also given focus in this edition.
The work being undertaken in our schools to teach students about respectful relationships and consent is in focus in Measure of respect, while in Creating safer schools for gender diverse students we examine how to recognise and respect the needs of gender diverse students.
These articles and more, make this a must-read edition which we hope will inspire conversation and action for you and your colleagues as we work to create the respectful society we all deserve.
Terry Burke