DO NOT ALLOW PDSB TRUSTEES TO STRIP KOLA ILUYOMADE’S NAME FROM THE CENTRE OF BLACK EXCELLENCE

After 2 years of Black community members working with the Peel District School Board (PDSB) on the establishing the “Kola Iluyomade Centre of Black Excellence”, Trustees voted at their Physical Planning, Finance and Building Committee to strip Kola Iluyomade’s name from the Centre of Black Excellence on May 3, 2023*. The final vote will go to the May 24, 2023 full Board meeting.

Kola Iluyomade was a staunch fighter for Black students and their rights, and a fierce advocate in the fight against anti-Black racism in education. He gave everything to fighting for Black families and students, until he was ultimately consumed by the fight. The naming of the Centre of Black Excellence after him is the most appropriate tribute that the PDSB can pay to his legacy, what he stood for and his impact. To remove his name in this way is an affront to Black communities, anti-racism advocates and all those who benefitted from his work in dismantling anti-Black racism at the PDSB.

We demand that the PDSB Board of Trustees approve "Kola Iluyomade Centre of Black Excellence as the official name of the Centre of Black Excellence.

*On April 27, 2023, Trustees approved a policy that banned the naming of schools after individuals. No provisions or considerations were made to account for all of the work and extensive consultations that the had been undertaken in deciding the name “Kola Iluyomade Centre For Black Excellence”