More than 100 concerned parents and children are expected to rally as the Toronto District School Board meets Tuesday evening, because they allege they were denied the right to speak during the meeting about the implications of adopting the concept of anti-Palestinian racism into its broader anti-discrimination strategy. “There’s going to be a community rally outside of the TDSB since they won’t hear us speak at the meeting,” Aaron Kucharczuk, a concerned father of three children in the district, told the National Post by phone. “Why are staff and the trustees hiding behind these walls, refusing to hear from the Jewish community? Why are they hiding?” Carly Cohen, another concerned TDSB parent, told the Jewish Educators and Families Association.
“Why are the personal stories of hate and racism experienced by Jewish students and teachers in the TDSB incompatible with the TDSB’s combating hate and racism strategy? I have personally lost confidence in the leadership of the TDSB.” On Tuesday evening, trustees for Canada’s largest school board will continue its discussion of a report on its strategy to counter racism and hate in school. The strategy includes seven distinct forms of discrimination, including homophobia, Islamophobia and antisemitism.
But, “in response to student and community voices,” the strategy has been updated to include anti-Palestinian racism as well. That update was first considered at a June 5 meeting. “It seems apparent that the d.