CAEF letter from President, Michael Teper, to Register of Ontario College of Teachers regarding their lack of or delayed responses in regards to complaints of antisemitism against teachers

Dear Registrar Lacroix:

I am writing to bring to your attention a research study released today by Prof. Robert Brym, FRSC, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Toronto, and posted on the website of the Government of Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage.

The study is titled Antisemitism in Ontario's K-12 Schools.  The link is below. It paints a grim picture.  Here are the conclusions, which speak for themselves.

"School boards in Ontario significantly underestimate the number of Jewish students in their care and the frequency of antisemitic incidents in K-12 schools. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) – which serves nearly one-third of Ontario’s Jewish school-age population – typifies these issues. In the 2023-24 school year, the TDSB’s Racism, Bias, and Hate Portal logged 2,155 incidents, of which 312 (14.5%) were categorized as antisemitic. Even this high number likely falls well short of the true total for three main reasons:

1. A narrow definition of Jewish identity:

   The TDSB defines antisemitism primarily as a form of religious hatred. However, Jews are not solely a religious group. According to the Canadian census and standard research practice, individuals who identify as Jewish by ethnicity, culture, or ancestry – even if they report no religious affiliation – are also considered Jewish. In the 2021 census, for example, 11% of Jews in the Toronto area identified as Jewish by ethnicity, culture, or ancestry and also identified with no religion. The TDSB does not count incidents involving such students, even if they are clearly motivated by antisemitism. As a result, many affected students are excluded from official tallies.Footnote8
   

2. Inconsistent application of the IHRA definition:

   In 2018, the TDSB adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which includes rhetoric and actions that deny Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. Yet in practice, the Board frequently fails to categorize such incidents as antisemitic, even though this type of hostility is widespread in its schools.
   

3. Underreporting due to fear:

   Many Jewish students choose not to report incidents out of fear of being ostracized, re-victimized, or physically harmed. This climate of fear has led some students to hide their identities by removing visible symbols of their Jewishness – necklaces, pins, bracelets, or Hebrew writing on clothing. Self-censorship suppresses the visibility of the problem and contributes to the undercounting of incidents.

The consequences of widespread antisemitism for Jewish students and their parents are dire. In the public system, Jewish students are frequently ostracized, isolated, and assaulted verbally and physically. Jewish schools are targets of graffiti, vandalism, bomb threats, and shootings at school buildings. In more than 4 of 10 cases, antisemitic incidents are Nazi-inspired, expressing the hope that all Jews will soon be gassed and cremated, for example. In fewer than 6 of 10 cases, they deny Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, a key element of Jewish identity for most Jews.

Not all school boards are similarly affected by the spread of antisemitism. Antisemitic incidents are concentrated in the English public system, particularly in Ontario’s larger cities. But irrespective of variation in the frequency of antisemitic incidents, little is being done to resolve the crisis. In about 6 of 10 reported cases, schools do not investigate, deny that the incident involves antisemitism, or effectively punish victims by recommending that they take remote classes or switch schools.

School boards say that “schools should be safe and welcoming places where all students and staff feel respected, included, and valued in their learning and working environments.  As the results of this survey demonstrate, the time has arrived to apply this principle to all students."

Antisemitism in Ontario’s K-12 Schools - Canada.ca

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Since 2021, I have filed over 25 professional misconduct complaints against various Ontario teachers relating to antisemitism.  In my opinion, the College's investigation process is poor.  Investigations are routinely delayed unduly, sometimes for years.  Frequently the delays are the result of "request for direction" referrals to the Investigation Committee, themselves take many months, if not years.  It is not small wonder that Prof. Brym cites a high degree of under-reporting.

When complaints are finally processed, they are either dismissed based on the Investigation Committee having a superficial understanding of the nature of antisemitism, including the IHRA definition, or the Investigation Committee bends over backwards attempting to formulate excuses for the Member's behavior to justify the issuance of inordinately lenient consequences.  At the same time, the College takes a draconian and exacting approach towards Members who take positions on social media supportive of the State of Israel (e.g., Lisa Levitan Notice of Hearing).  What has effectively become viewpoint discrimination, and perhaps religious and racial discrimination, must end immediately.

I will confine myself to discussing publicly available information.  Two examples stick out egregiously:

- The Discipline Committee revoked the license of Fernanda Caranfa on October 10, 2024, on account of her publishing materials on social media that stated "Jews are the enemies of Christ.  They are Molech worshippers, baby killers".  I filed the complaint against Ms. Caranfa on April 24, 2023.  It was the simplest of cases, and the violation of professional standards could not have been more obvious.  Yet it took almost 18 months for the case to work through your system.  However, even to this day, the Discipline Committee has not published its reasons for the decision.

- Taher Berenjian publicly called for a second Holocaust on social media.  I am not exaggerating or paraphrasing; that's exactly what he said.  Rather than revoke his license through formal disciplinary proceedings, the College let him slip out quietly through the back door, though a resignation and promise not to practice.

I'll ask you this -- if it were Black people, LGBT2SQ+ people, or Indigenous people targeted by certain College Members, would the College be this casual and lackadaisical in its approach?

Why is it that at the Ontario College of Teachers, Jews Don't Count???

Best regards,

R. Michael Teper

President

Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation