Jewish coalition “relieved” as TDSB antisemitism report clears hurdle

Article content

A coalition of Jewish advocacy groups has expressed relief that a plan to combat antisemitism in Toronto schools has been received by the Toronto District School Board without amendment, following two nights of fractious public consultation.

Article content

Article content

“We are relieved that the TDSB’s Planning and Priorities Committee voted to receive the antisemitism report without amendment,” says the statement, jointly released by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Toronto Holocaust Museum, and Allies for a Strong Canada.

Article content

“This meaningful report reflected diverse stakeholders and voices from the community sharing their encounters with antisemitism. We thank the trustees who voted to receive it, and we will work with them and other public officials as partners in advancing real, results-driven measures to combat antisemitism and protect our shared Canadian values.”

It added: “The past few days have underscored just how much work needs to be done to ensure students and staff are safeguarded from antisemitism in all forms. We are grateful to our community activists and allies for making their voices heard, with appreciation for our strong and united community.”

The Board has indicated it plans to meet with community groups and internal departments through the spring, with an aim to publish the final antisemitism work plan this fall.

Two nights of virtual meetings on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the report stretched to a total of almost 14 hours. Michelle Stock, CIJA’s Ontario vice-president, told the National Post that the first evening was “very stacked with anti-Zionist groups, and it was a very clear campaign … that was very orchestrated.”

Article content

Article content

She added: “Many of us on the call had to listen to blatant antisemitism rhetoric without any TDSB intervention or calling for some degree of decorum.”

That sentiment was echoed by Shelley Laskin, a TDSB trustee since 2010. She closed out the meeting by stating: “I appreciate that this has been a very difficult evening for many, and it’s not because we heard diverse voices, and we heard form people who had a variety of opinions. It’s because there was true harm spoken tonight.”

She continued: “There was antisemitism, there was Jew-hatred, and I need to apologize for all those who have witnessed this. This is not acceptable. No form of hate within deputations is acceptable. And I feel compelled to have said, this has caused great harm to many of us who have been listening for hours. And it needed to be said.”

The Combating Hate and Racism: Student Learning Strategy was first introduced by the TDSB in March 2022, with an updated framework released in March 2023. In addition to antisemitism, it lays out a plan to combat anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, ableism, anti-Asian racism, homophobia and transphobia.

Article content

Among its findings was concern that “anti-Zionism has recently re-emerged as a contemporary form of antisemitism; criticism of Israel in schools can sometimes be rooted in antisemitic beliefs, particularly when it involves blaming Jewish individuals collectively for the circumstances in the Middle East or when it is accompanied by antisemitic slogans, images, physical intimidation and comparisons to the Holocaust.”

Stock had earlier this week suggested it was “very likely that the trustees could vote against receiving the report.” However, at the end of the second night of meetings they voted unanimously to receive and move the process forward.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here.

Article content