Diamond & Diamond Law Firm plans to take legal action, but we need people to come forward for this to happen. There will be no cost to you and as long as you/your child has experienced or witnessed antisemitism in your school, you are welcome to come forward. Students can be represented by their parents.
Please email me at mshainhouse@gmail.com or mustspeak18@gmail.com and indicate whether you'd like to move forward with legal action.
We cannot make any headway without shared experiences so please do not be silent.
Response from the board can be found below:
Dear Parents,
Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns regarding the rising reports of antisemitism in Toronto schools. We share your concerns about these incidents, as well as those reported in the broader community.
The TDSB takes allegations of antisemitism very seriously and investigates reports that it receives. We want all children to feel safe and affirmed in schools. The TDSB has a well established process in place for school administrators to carefully consider incidents of racism, bias or hate that involve or impact students and school staff are actively involved in stopping, interrupting and addressing these behaviours. Each incident is looked at on a case-by-case basis. The process supports consistent and timely actions to identify, respond to, remedy and learn about antisemitism and hate. Principals outreach to parents/caregivers of students involved, and work with central specialized teams to support their planning of restorative practices and develop essential educational opportunities for students and school-wide initiatives that support the school’s improvement planning process. TDSB staff want to ensure that those who experience harm are supported and that students involved are provided with education to ensure that the behaviour does not continue. When incidents of hate and racism occur, affected students are supported by school staff and provided access to culturally responsive trauma-informed counselling support. It’s important to note that the full range of consequences provided by the Education Act, including suspensions, is considered and applied where appropriate when responding to incidents of antisemitism.
As an extension of the TDSB Combatting Hate and Racism Strategy, staff is committed to ensuring a distinct plan is developed that addresses each form of hate and racism in collaboration and with the support of families, communities and partner organizations. A distinct strategy on addressing antisemitism has been initiated and work has also begun addressing other forms of hate experienced within our classrooms, for example Anti-Indigenous Racism, Anti-Black Racism, Islamophobia, Ableism, Anti-Asian Racism, and Homophobia & Transphobia.
Specifically to address your concerns, professional learning on antisemitism continues to be offered at the school and district levels. Facilitators will work with staff by offering modules, learning materials and opportunities to better educate, address and support understanding around antisemitism within a school community resulting in an action plan being co-developed and implemented in schools. Staff has reached out to the Toronto Holocaust Museum to further provide opportunities for school groups to visit the museum and learn about the history and experiences of Jewish people during the Holocaust. To support the implementation of the Revisions to the Grade 6 Social Studies Curriculum Mandatory Holocaust Education, the TDSB has developed a professional learning plan for elementary teachers including beginning teachers, principals, and vice-principals. This includes building awareness among staff and strengthening collaboration with community partners. And TDSB’s Jewish Heritage Committee continues to contribute to learning resources for students in our schools. The next Board-wide offering will be on International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th.
Collaboration is important to us. The TDSB continues to listen to students, parents/guardians/caregivers, staff and communities to learn about their concerns. School staff, central staff, Board committees and Trustees are supporting these efforts. We are monitoring our schools as safety, well-being and the provision of education are priorities. Principals and vice principals in the schools are an important point of contact and we urge you to reach out to them and share your experiences and any ideas you have.
We appreciate your outreach and hope the information outlined builds trust that we are dedicated to combatting antisemitism and all forms of hate and racism. Our students deserve no less.
Sincerely,
Colleen Russell-Rawlins
Director of Education
Audley Salmon
Associate Director
Louise Sirisko
Associate Director
Leola Pon
Associate Director
Stacey Zucker
Associate Director
Toronto District School Board
(416) 397-3000
generalinquiries@tdsb.on.ca
5050 Yonge Street | Toronto, Ontario | M2N 5N8