Response from Suzanne Gordon, Director | Inclusive Education Priorities and Engagement Branch

Dear Marnie Glavin and Parents,

Thank you for reaching out to share your concerns regarding the increased reports of antisemitism in Toronto schools. On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I appreciate the opportunity to respond. Ontario denounces all acts of hate and discrimination in schools. Ontario is committed to supporting the diverse identities, cultures, and experiences of students and staff in our education system. We strive to create environments that are safe, inclusive, and accepting for all students and staff of all background. School boards are responsible for ensuring they comply with all applicable statutes, legislation, and policies, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and the Education Act.

The Education Act requires boards to develop, implement, and monitor an equity and inclusive education policy in accordance with the requirements set out in Policy/Program Memorandum No. 119 “Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools.” This policy memorandum states that all school policies must be comprehensive and must cover the prohibited grounds of discrimination set out in theOntario Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination on several grounds, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and creed (e.g., religion).  With the rise of antisemitism in schools across the province, in November 2022, Ontario announced actions to counter this hate including a mandatory learning requirement in elementary schools on Holocaust education in the Grade 6 curriculum to help younger students gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the Holocaust. As recently as November 2023, Ontario announced new and expanded mandatory learning about the Holocaust in the compulsory Grade 10 History course which will explicitly link the Holocaust to extreme political ideologies, including fascism, antisemitism in Canada in the 1930s and 1940s, and the contemporary impacts of rising antisemitism.

In addition, to help students learn about historical and present-day discrimination, Ontario is investing $650,000 in community partnerships that provide resources for students and educator training to expand learning on fundamental Canadian values, including the importance of safeguarding democracy from extreme and harmful ideologies. As independent corporations, school boards are responsible for the implementation of equity and inclusive education policies for students. These policies are designed to create safe and inclusive environments for students of all backgrounds and identities. For information on specific policies and steps that schools implement to create inclusive environments, you may wish to contact your local school board directly regarding further information on policies related to equity and how boards work with community members to create an accepting school system. I want to state unequivocally that the rise of intolerance and antisemitic acts in Ontario and Ontario schools is unacceptable. We will continue to emphasize the ongoing importance of creating safe spaces for the students and staff that enter schools each day.

Sincerely,

Suzanne

Suzanne Gordon, PhD

Director | Indigenous Education and Well-Being Division | Inclusive Education Priorities and Engagement Branch |

Direction de l’éducation inclusive, des priorités et de la participation | Division de l’éducation autochtone et du bien-être

Ministry of Education | Éducation