Last Friday at the lunch hour, students from Marc Garneau Collegiate took to the streets to protest what they consider silencing of the Palestinian voice within the board. This is utter nonsense, with no facts to substantiate the claim. This was an event that itself should have been silenced. It was an event with slogans like, “Free Palestine, From the River to the Sea,” a call for genocide, for the eradication of Israel and eliminate the Jewish people from their national homeland. Most likely the students have no idea where “Palestine” is since it never existed as a country, and they know less than zero about the country called Israel, nor that they are standing in support of terrorism.
There were educators that supported this protest which can only be seen as incitement since this is how Jew hatred begins and endangers our community. Imagine if a Jewish student attended this school which has chosen to vilify an entire country and condemn its people.
Below in social media postings is the proof of Jew hatred. The postings are followed by a letter that CAEF sent to the Director of the TDSB on Sunday evening. Read through all, and then see both a complaint lodged by Michael Teper with the Ontario College of Teachers and a message to the Garneau school constituents from two senior TDSB staff. The complaint is against a drama teacher who found the protest worthy and commended the students for their action. Read thelame response from two senior officials of the Board.
Truly, it is the teachers and administrators who need to go back to school. Note also that Javila Davila, whose previous actions smacked of antisemitism, was posting his support for the students’ actions. It defies logic that he is an educator and an “equity and diversity” officer. The TDSB surely needs a review of its operations.
CAEF urges Marc Garneau MP to ask that his name be removed for this school that promotes Jew hatred and goes unchallenged by officialdom.
CAEF Letter to TDSB Director Ms Russell-Rawlins
November 14, 2021
Dear Ms Russell-Rawlins,
A very concerning student protest has come to our attention and we are asking that you direct your attention to this with all urgency. Below is a video posted on Instagram about this anti-Israel protest held on Friday, which is an example of how Jew hatred is spreading across the TDSB, and must be confronted immediately!
Complaint filed from Michael Teper with the Ontario College of Teachers
Please note that this letter below was formally filed on November 16 with the Ontario College of Teachers by Michael Teper.
Dear Dr. Haime:
I am writing to request that the College consider this letter as a complaint of professional misconduct regarding Anne Marie Longpre (OCT 536265).
Response to the Student Protest at Marc Garneau Collegiate from TDSB Officials
Note: The authors characterize the complaint of antisemitic rhetoric as a misunderstanding or two points of view ie that Jews and Arabs might read the message differently. How absurd!! Both Arabs and Jews know the message, “from the river to the sea” means that the intention is to destroy Israel. There is one consistent message, driven home by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, mimed by all the BDS supporters and Pro-Palestinian organizations—delegimate and destroy the Jewish state. Is this what the teachers’ desire? (Ed)
Subject: Marc Garneau CI Letter
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
As a school, Marc Garneau CI is committed to providing students with critical thinking skills that enable them to understand complex issues from many different perspectives. This is particularly true when issues intersect with different identities and lived experiences.
Last Friday at the school, there was a student-led protest that occurred outside shortly before the lunch hour. Staff were outside at the time as our concern is always for student safety during these types of situations (e.g., staying off the road). It was their understanding that this was about freedoms and rights of Palestinians. The protest included signs and/or chants such as “Free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Those expressions mean different things to different people because of different lived experiences. Some members of the Jewish community have experienced these phrases as antisemitic and hateful. Some Palestinians use these phrases as a statement of their rights as people.
Human rights work is often complex and includes competing rights. Our position has and always will be to support our students in being able to tell their stories and understand conflicting experiences of oppression. We will work with staff and students to ensure they understand these multiple meanings and ensure hate is not part of the discussion.
Students and the administration will be continuing to discuss what occurred at the protest and how to incorporate the concerns raised in ongoing learning. Collectively, we must rise to the challenge of creating a deeper understanding of each other in classrooms and workplaces and focus on our shared humanity.
Together with Principal De Felice, we will continue to keep you updated as we make progress on these important steps moving forward.
Sincerely,
Uton Robinson Executive Superintendent Learning Centre 1
Andrew Howard Superintendent Learning Network 5