Shamelessly Shantel
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shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Shamelessly Shantel
@shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
670 followers 560 following 200 posts
Co-Founder of Hold My Hand Alberta. POTS card holder. Neurospicy. Hallmark Enthusiast. Coffee Snob. Disability Advocate.
Mom of ND kids, 1 with T1D
She/her
Treaty 6
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shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Shamelessly Shantel @shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social · Nov 10
Hey! Hi!
Mom of 3 neurodivergent kiddos. Married to 1 neurospicy husband and 3 spicy cats and a dog named Fergus.

Love cheesy Hallmark movies, coffee that is really only half coffee, crosstitch and reading historical fiction.

I think there is too much ableism in the world and want to change it.
Reposted by Shamelessly Shantel
bridgetstirling.bsky.social
This is disingenuous. The only public statement from the board on this was in May, prior to the Ministerial Order, and there's not a peep after that. The board has consistently failed to speak up on the issues that matter.
Statement from the EPSB board chair: Julie Kusiek - Re-Elect Julie for Trustee, Ward F, Edmonton Public Schools 2h Please see my statement as Board Chair on behalf of the Board of Trustees: "Families and community members have raised numerous concerns to the Board of Trustees regarding the list of books that will be removed from Edmonton Public Schools as a result of the Government of Alberta's Ministerial Order on the Standards for the Selection, Availability, and Access of School Library Materials. The Board of Trustees agrees with these concerns and voiced our opposition to the provincial changes before the Ministerial Order was issued. As a result of the Ministerial Order, several excellent books will be removed from our shelves this fall. Division staff worked over the summer to ensure that only books that directly met the criteria in the Ministerial Order were added to the Division's removal list. We encourage anyone who has a concern about a book being removed, or the criteria for book removal set out in the Ministerial Order to contact the Minister of Education and Childcare directly Board Chair Julie Kusiek, Edmonton Public Schools
August 29, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Reposted by Shamelessly Shantel
suze-bsky.bsky.social
Letter to Alberta Minister of Education

open.substack.com/pub/letterke...
An Open Letter to Alberta Education Minister Nicolaides
On October 1, Alberta will start pulling books from shelves — and when has censorship ever been the hallmark of a thriving democracy?
open.substack.com
July 12, 2025 at 4:42 AM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Inclusive Education starts with ending ableism and presuming competence. #ABED #Education #InclusiveEducation #Disability
July 13, 2025 at 12:36 AM
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paulakluth.bsky.social
Day #154 from #UDLDaily "Add Identity Activities" Engagement (UDL Principle)/Sustaining Effort & Persistence (UDL Guideline)/Foster Belonging & Community (UDL Consideration) #UDL
Teachers create identity-safe classrooms because they recognize that a learner’s social identities impact their success. In these spaces, students can learn about themselves and fully be themselves. Teachers wanting to honor student identities in the classroom can engage in many different activities to do so. For example, they can model identity-focused reflection and talk about how they see themselves. They can also incorporate identity-related activities. Ideas that work well across age groups include the following: > Bio bags. This idea is featured in Liz Kleinrock’s book, Start Here Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work in Your School Community. Each student is given a paper bag. On the outside of the bag, students draw or write about VISIBLE parts of their identity (e.g., clothing). On the inside of the bag, students place objects related to their internal lives; these items represent the INVISIBLE aspects of that person. Students then share these projects. Kleinrock suggests that teachers use this activity to remind students not to make assumptions about one another and to, instead, focus on relationship building. > Identity webs or wheels. Ask students to create a graphic to illustrate their identities. This exercise can help students understand that their identities matter and that identifying them can be a tool for self-assessment and making connections. > Self-portraits. Invite students to create an image of themselves. Provide tools like crayons in different skin tones, markers, paper, and fabric. Visit Edutopia’s YouTube channel to see an excellent tutorial on this activity from educator Shana V. White: tinyurl. com/UDDaily-Day154.
May 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
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paulakluth.bsky.social
Day #255 from #UDLDaily "Plot Paths & Make Wishes" Action & Expression (UDL Principle)/Set Strategy Development (UDL Guideline)/Set Meaningful Goals (UDL Consideration) #UDL
Setting goals can be daunting for many people, but especially for children and teens who have limited experience with the process. To give students ideas and inspiration, engage them in goal-setting games, exercises & activities: > Brainstorm. Give your group time to discuss goals and share ideas with one another. Take notes during the discussion or have a “board meeting” to give students this responsibility. > Try 20/20 lists. Invite students to make a list of 20 things they want to do & 20 things they want to be. > Design mind maps. A mind map is a nice introduction to goal exploration because a) there are no rules and b) the open-ended nature of the tool tends to boost creativity. To make maps, students simply need to write a few goals in bubbles or squares and fill in additional bubbles or squares with related content, such as resources or “notes to self.” As they find relationships between the bubbles, they can draw lines and use color to make those connections. > Ask “dream questions.” To help students consider what they value most, pose questions every now and then. You could ask, “What job would you love to have?” or “If you had $1,000 to donate to your community, how would you spend it?” > Plot paths. Have students draw a path to represent a period of time. The path could illustrate a few years, a few months, or the first few weeks of a school year. Have them draw milestones, achievements, and highlights along the part of the path that is in the past. Have them draw future goals and hopes on the part of the path that moves into the future. > Create strengths and wishes. Ask students to generate three strengths. They can represent these visually with circles. Then, ask them to generate three wishes. These can be represented with stars. This activity will not only help students come up with goals, but give them some confidence as they pursue those goals.
May 12, 2025 at 2:16 AM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
New hair who this?
June 11, 2025 at 11:21 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
The boys and the amazing kids from Knock O’Hogan Dance here in Edmonton absolutely tore it up at a recent Feis in Saskatoon. So proud of them all. #IrishDance #Irish
June 4, 2025 at 9:40 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Cultural heritage and pride week with EPSB so the school later this afternoon is doing a taste of various cultures and delicacies from around the world. My husband is born in Romania and the kids love to share the very rich Romanian culture whenever they have a chance. This dish is called Mici :)
June 4, 2025 at 9:39 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
May 24, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Reposted by Shamelessly Shantel
holdmyhandab.bsky.social
Here is our statement in response to Danielle Smith and her recent comments. We can't stand by and let people speak about our children like this.
An open letter to Danielle Smith: We represent a group of over 3600 parents, families and educators who love and support disabled children in Alberta. We are the people affected by your recent ableist words about our kids and the rampant ableist policies enacted by your government. In March of 2020, the program Alberta families have relied on for decades (PUF) was decimated by funding cuts, as you know. While there have been minimal efforts to restore parts of the program, we currently have a fraction of the spaces we used to have. It is no wonder that 5 years later, we are starting to see the effects of not helping children individually. Global accommodations are not the same as individual supports, but that's not news. You, as the leader of our province, have created a situation that is unsustainable for all parties involved. Teachers are not required to take classes during their education about teaching disabled kids. Class sizes have exploded over the last several years. We have a fraction of the support staff we used to have. RCSD? No longer. In its place a model that sees almost zero support for K-12 students. FSCD and eventually PDD? A three year wait. So where are our families supposed to turn to get help for our kids? Wanting our children to meet their full potential is simply not too much to ask. You can't create the current reality and then blame it on the children who can't manage in this situation, segregate them, and then say it was the teachers who wanted it. We don't punch down on kids. We act like the adults in the room and work collaboratively to solve the very complex, multi-faceted situation that we have created and just is not working. At the foundation of all of it is this: Disabled children have a human right to an inclusive education. It is your job as Alberta's premier to ensure they receive that. Please make sure our kids have a seat at every table that makes decisions about them. With immense concern for our children's futures,
May 21, 2025 at 1:12 AM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Well I mean…. Seeing that we had to do a whole lawsuit just months ago to tell them it’s not ok to deny children access to inclusive education they had to know we wouldn’t stay quiet.
@drshelleymoore.bsky.social here we go again
thebreakdownab.bsky.social The Breakdown AB @thebreakdownab.bsky.social · May 21
“You, as the leader of our province, have created a situation that is unsustainable for all parties involved.”

@holdmyhandab.bsky.social seem to be responding to Smith’s comments on segregation this weekend.

#abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli
May 21, 2025 at 1:18 AM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
"Neurodiversity may be every bit as crucial for the human race as biodiversity is for life in general,"
Harvey Blume

Happy #WorldAutismDay
I'm not here for your awareness or acceptance. I'm just here.
The rest is on everyone else.
April 2, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Reposted by Shamelessly Shantel
dollface24.bsky.social
Instead of correcting course on this, EPSB has continually targeted autistic students, spending 100s of 1000s building seclusion rooms each year just for them.

EPSB has also perpetuated stereotypes used against these students to justify the over use of seclusion during public board meetings. 2/3
March 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Because it would appear so many leaders, politicians and educators have forgotten.

Happy Autism Acceptance Month!

Never forget how amazing you all are,How much you and your loved ones deserve to be celebrated and don’t ever let them forget you vote too.
#AutismAcceptanceMonth #yeg #Alberta
April 2, 2025 at 2:07 AM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Amazing work done here by the bargaining team @cupe3550.bsky.social
We are so excited to have everyone back soon.
And @orlaghokelly.bsky.social for reminding the government and school board that they can’t get away with discriminating against kids with disabilities.
March 16, 2025 at 4:25 AM
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drshelleymoore.bsky.social
This month’s 5MM video highlights My ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE inclusive strategy!

youtu.be/VtG9lWK5ufo?...
Reassessing The Rubric: Shifting to strength-based assessment practices
YouTube video by Five Moore Minutes
youtu.be
March 11, 2025 at 4:36 AM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
1 more sleep!
We will be fighting for all children’s right to an equitable education. Which yes also includes paying those who work with them a liveable wage so those supports can stay with the kids. See you at the legislature 1pm tomorrow!
February 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
How sweet!!
February 23, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Reposted by Shamelessly Shantel
theprogressreport.ca
A group organizing under the name Hold My Hand Alberta is claiming a major victory today in securing an injunction against several ministerial orders. The orders had exempted several school boards from the normal requirement to provide in-person learning—specifically to students with disabilities.
Alberta judge blocks order keeping special needs kids out of class during strike
EDMONTON — An Alberta judge has granted an injunction to block a ministerial order that has prevented children with special needs from attending school as a support strike drags on.
www.stalbertgazette.com
February 21, 2025 at 1:45 AM
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holdmyhandab.bsky.social
Thanks to @orlaghokelly.bsky.social for being such a hero to our families and thank you to the families who have supported this and put their names forward. This is only the start, and we're going to work to make sure our kids get the education they deserve.
The first page of a court order brought forward on behalf of Albertan families affected by the ministerial order. The second page of a court order brought forward on behalf of Albertan families affected by the ministerial order.
February 21, 2025 at 2:04 AM
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orlaghokelly.bsky.social
Thank you. ☺️

None of this is possible without the important work for people like @drshelleymoore.bsky.social and the amazing grassroots organization of @holdmyhandab.bsky.social

Full decision here:

www.canlii.org/en/ab/abkb/d...
February 22, 2025 at 12:51 AM
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dollface24.bsky.social
Looks like a justice agreed this ministerial order was discriminatory and granted the emergency injunction. It's almost as if you can't play fast and loose with the educational rights of disabled kids, just because they're disabled.
February 20, 2025 at 10:21 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
Yucky.
February 11, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reposted by Shamelessly Shantel
drshelleymoore.bsky.social
The concept of inclusion has evolved significantly in education, moving beyond mere physical presence in classrooms to encompass a deeper understanding of belonging and recognition of identity.

youtu.be/5IOGOE_qQfM?...
Inclusion is not Assimilation: Understanding communities of identity and diversity
YouTube video by Five Moore Minutes
youtu.be
February 8, 2025 at 7:20 PM
shamelesslyshantel.bsky.social
We had lost almost full language by this point and yet he so badly wanted to find a way to connect with his fav songs. So we made motions for everything and just watching him light up in it reminds my why I started doing what I did. This is the boy who started it all….
February 11, 2025 at 5:08 PM