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A group of prominent Canadian historians is regrouping after the Toronto District School Board decided this week to move forward with removing the names of Sir John A. Macdonald, Egerton Ryerson and Henry Dundas from three of its schools.
The Canadian Institute for Historical Education (CIHE) wrote to the TDSB earlier this month attempting to stave this off in favour of a process advised by the prominent historians who belong to the organization — set out in the “Principles for Naming and Renaming” it published in early 2024.
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The principles were devised as professional historical guidance to school boards, municipalities and similar public bodies undertaking naming reviews.
However, on Wednesday night the full board voted 11-7 to move ahead. “That’s an improvement on the 6-1 vote at the committee level,” says J.D.M. Stewart, a CIHE member as well as a Canadian historian with 30 years of experience as a teacher, and author of “Being Prime Minister.”
“At least some minds were changed” at the board level, he says, while expressing regret that the move is going ahead.
CIHE Executive Director Alan Williams watched the meeting live and says while the staff reports correctly stated Macdonald “built the nation,” Egerton Ryerson was central to the creation of the Ontario public school system and Henry Dundas was a prominent abolitionist, they also said these three men were “nonetheless (links) to systems of oppression.”
When TDSB staff was asked about professionals consulted for the historical background, notes Williams, they spoke about three sociologists — not historians.
Having written the TDSB and making a presentation at a meeting of the Planning and Priorities Committee that preceded the full board vote, the CIHE is now considering what next steps might be made to stem the ahistorical tide.
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Meanwhile, the TDSB is pressing forward.
Emma Moynihan, communications adviser with the TDSB told the National Post in an email on Thursday that the superintendent of education will form a school renaming committee to consider possible names.
“The Committee will include seven students (students in Grades 7 to 12 will represent themselves and younger students will be represented by their parents/guardians/caregivers), two school staff, two school council or parent/guardian/caregiver representatives, the Principal, the Superintendent of Education, and the local Trustee.”
Submissions from the school’s students, staff, and school council will be invited. Then a shortlist of three names will be drawn up.
The principal at each school will conduct a student vote, says Moynihan, then the committee will review the results of the student vote and determine which name will be recommended.
Next the process will move back to the TDSB, where the superintendent of education will present the recommendation of the renaming committee “to the appropriate standing committee and the Board of Trustees for approval.”
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