The year 2023 continues to be marked by big changes at the Cassidy Centre for Educational Justice (CCEJ). From the historic re-envisioning of the Centre for Education, Law, and Society (CELS) to its new name in recognition of the contributions of our co-founder, Dr. Wanda Cassidy, to the welcoming of Drs. Özlem Sensoy and Amy Parent as director and co-director respectively, we continue to see big changes as we transition to new chapters in the Centre’s life and work.

March 31, 2023 brings another change into focus. After a decade of research scholarship and support of CELS/CCEJ, Dr. Chantal Faucher will step down from her role as Centre Coordinator. Without a doubt, Chantal has been the backbone of the Centre, working alongside Dr. Cassidy and other members of the Centre’s research staff on several projects including ground-breaking research on cyberbullying in the university context, community outreach initiatives such as the Centre’s Bilingual Corner and Scholars on Issues of Law and Justice in Education video series, and the development of provocative curricula for use in K-12 schooling.

Splitting her time between research-intensive responsibilities, alongside the Centre’s many other day-to-day needs (from supervising research assistants to updating the website), Chantal has been at the heart of the Centre’s values and ethics in action. When asked to reflect on her time working with Chantal, Dr. Cassidy shared that “Chantal has been an exemplary postdoc research partner and co-author of our research studies examining cyberbullying at K-12 and post-secondary. Over the past 10 years, she has contributed in multiple outstanding ways to the diverse work of the Centre for Education, Law and Society (now called the Cassidy Centre for Educational Justice). I am so pleased that she will continue to be associated with CCEJ (and with me) as a Steering Committee member.”

Much like her mentor and dear friend, Dr. Cassidy, Dr. Faucher leaves behind enormous shoes to fill. As she continues to support the Centre’s activities as a member of its steering committee, Dr. Faucher will remain as adjunct in the Faculty of Education at SFU, as well as faculty and Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at Langara College.