Toronto school board to force educators to undergo mandatory re-education on 'anti-Palestinian racism'

The National Council of Canadian Muslims announced that the Toronto District School Board will officially recognize anti-Palestinian racism. “Thanks to our community’s advocacy, the TDSB is taking action,” the group said in a statement. “Last week, trustees passed a motion that marks a historic step forward in recognizing anti-Palestinian racism in schools.”

The decision follows pressure from advocacy organizations, as well as a report from the Ontario Ministry of Education. The review—led by Assistant Deputy Minister Patrick Case—examined a September 2024 student field trip to the Grassy Narrows River Run. While the trip was framed as an Indigenous solidarity event, it also seemingly doubled as a pro-Palestinian protest.

Backlash followed after the school took students on a field trip to an anti-Israel, pro-Gaza protest. Media attention amplified that backlash. The review from the Assistant Deputy Minister then determined that the backlash against the protest-oriented field trip was actually racism in action.

Case’s final report concluded that Palestinian students and staff in the TDSB face “systemic erasure” and often fear “reprisals for speaking out.” His findings added urgency to calls for institutional change within Canada’s largest school board.

"Student attendance at the River Run garnered considerable negative media attention and was widely commented on in various social media. Generally speaking, media reported that TDSB parents had been misled and that the rally and march for clean water for the peoples of the Grassy Narrows First Nation was always going to be a pro-Palestinian protest in which students were forced to participate," Case wrote in the report. "Much of the narrative in the mainstream media and social media suggested that TDSB teachers had intentionally escorted students to a pro-Palestinian protest under false pretenses."

The motion, introduced by trustees Neethan Shan King and Michelle Dawson, outlines a series of key actions, including a mandatory professional development course for trustees and senior leadership focused on the erasure of Palestinians in school life, an accelerated timeline for addressing anti-Palestinian racism in the board’s Anti-Hate Strategy, with a full action plan due by October 2025, and a final report and policy update on field trip procedures, ensuring compliance with board rules and adequate oversight for politically sensitive excursions.

Case also noted some of the chants that were sang at the event, downplaying their significance. "According to students I interviewed," he wrote, "it was over the course of the open-mic speeches that for 30 seconds to one minute, someone on the stage encouraged the crowd to repeat a pro-Palestinian chant: 'From Turtle Island, to Palestine, occupation is a crime.'"

Turtle Island is an anti-colonialist protest term for North America and pro-Gaza activists claim that Israel prior to the October 7 Hamas attacks was occupied by Israel, though Israel fully vacated the area and secured their nation's border in 2005. Palestinians then held elections and elected Hamas to govern Gaza.

Out of the 19 schools that had groups attend, five reported hearing this chant at Grange Park. The chanting went unnoticed by most of the students, per Case.. This observation was corroborated by teachers, students and parent volunteers in attendance.

Advocates hailed the new motion as a “first step” toward greater inclusion—but say continued vigilance will be needed to ensure meaningful implementation.