September 9, 2022
Director Camille Williams-Taylor and Chair Lynn Scott, and Trustees
Ottawa Carlton District School Board
Dear Ms Williams-Taylor, Ms Scott and Trustees;
We have come to know of your outrageous and unaccepable choice for trainers in dentifying and combating antisemitism. Your choice hightlights the tremendous need that you and members of OCDSB to actually understand antisemitism from those who experience it. Rather it appears that you have fallen prey to those who actually espouse antisemitism and do little to alleviate it, and whose postings and teaching can be shown to contribute to it.
You should hold yourselves accountable and immediately cancel the plan to utilize both Dr. Jeffrey Wilkinson and Raja Khouri. You are exposing people to lies and bigotry, to discrediting truth and ignoring reality. Should this training have taken place, then we ask to immediatly see the material and gain access to any recording of the event, and that you consider a follow up seesion that will address any faults and errors that we identify. There is an entire industry of so-called DEI consultants who contribute to antisemitism, not to abating it. Here is a reference you ought to consider: https://www.heritage.org/education/report/inclusion-delusion-the-antisemitism-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-staff
In Canada, we have further proof of that in the recent scandalous choice of Laith Marouf as an anti-racist trainer funded by the federal government. In addition, our own research project has produced evidence of antisemitism in the classroom in Social Work Departments of major universities, provided under the rubric of DEI.
Spreading lies, half-truths, concocted stories and defaming the Jewish state are brazen examples of Jew hatred!
Your decision reflects exactly what is endangering Jewish students and teachers and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
Sincerely,
Andria Spindel, Executive Director
cc. OCDSB Trustees
Andrea Freedman, Ottawa Jewish Federation
Michael Mostyn, B’nai Brith Canada
Michael Levitt, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre
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