Parents called out racism and antisemitism. The Premier said it was ‘disgraceful’
Or was the student field trip to a protest just peace education?
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In peace,
Steve
A new controversy in Toronto schools has pitted peace education against the demands of parents, and teachers are caught in the middle.
The result could be that efforts to provide students with first-hand learning experiences addressing controversial issues are severely constrained at best, and teachers could be paying the price with their jobs at worst.
Teachers could be paying the price with their careers at worst.
An incident is under several investigations, including by the Ministry of Education. There is still missing information and unanswered questions, but here is what we know, according to the Toronto Star:
“On Sept. 18, students from about 15 elementary, middle and secondary schools attended the Grassy Narrows River Run, billed as a community event to support the Grassy Narrows First Nation and their efforts to address mercury contamination. It started in downtown Toronto at Grange Park, then demonstrators marched to Queen’s Park.
“Parents were told it was an ‘educational opportunity’ and students wouldn’t participate in the rally. However, many students and teachers did join the solidarity march for Indigenous rights that attracted thousands of supporters. Videos posted on social media show some students and staff alongside pro-Palestinian protesters, and joining in chats, such as ‘From Turtle Island to Palestine, Occupation is a Crime.’”
Reacting to the videos, a school board trustee said, “The antisemitism displayed was heinous,” and the school board has issued an apology. A parent said she’s “concerned about the divisive, geopolitical advocacy and activism” in schools.
The antisemitism displayed was heinous.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford reacted very strongly, saying taking students to a rally intended to be about Indigenous rights but which included pro-Palestinian protesters is “disgraceful” and “disgusting,” promising those behind it will be “held accountable.”
But there are many counter-views. One Palestinian community leader called the school board’s apology “yet another example of systemic anti-Palestinian racism.”
Yet another example of systemic anti-Palestinian racism.
The Elementary Teachers of Toronto, the union that represents teachers, said in a statement, “ETT is committed to social, environmental, and racial justice. We will continue to support Grassy Narrows in its call for environmental justice. Instead of searching for a soundbite, the Premier should listen to the thousands of people calling for justice for Grassy Narrows.”
As readers of PeaceQuest may know, I have been a long-time advocate for peace education. An essential part of peace education is dealing with controversial issues and equipping students with critical thinking skills to understand the dynamics at play, and hopefully, how to resolve them successfully.
But how do teachers deal with controversy while maintaining a safe space for students?
Peace education expert Dr. Kathy Bickmore at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education is critical of the manner in which conflict-resolution is sometimes taught, considering it better described as “conflict-avoidance.”
To contribute to democratic peacebuilding, explicit curriculum would have to delve into the ‘unsafe but real’ world of social and political conflicts that defy simple negotiated settlement, including the roots and human costs of current local and global injustices, says Bickmore.
Right now, all students at Toronto’s public board will not attend any demonstrations until the province concludes its probe into what transpired. No matter what is discovered, the controversy risks setting back teachers’ efforts for experiential peace education for a while.
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Thanks for everything you do for peace.
Steve
I think that Premier Ford's excoriation of the demonstration on the grounds of fighting antisemitism was a red herring used to deflect from the criminal environmental and human destruction of Grassy Narrows. He does not want to answer to the continuing industrial poisoning of the Wabagoon River and in fact is stepping up efforts to allow more mining and chemical dumping into First Nations drinking water. The parallels between abuse of Indigenous people in Canada and Indigenous Palestinians in Occupied Israel are obvious. In this way, the pro-Israel lobby have pressured Ford, a willing accomplice, to attack the Palestinian cause through anti-Palestinian racism. Finally, I wish to point out that Ford is a buffoon who at every turn undermines democracy in favor of enriching his friends by undermining affordable housing, tenants' rights, public education, public childcare, public medicare.
I wanted to say YES to students and teachers participating in peaceful protests/field trips as part of Peace Education, (thank you, Steve, for presenting that in-class opportunity), but I can’t help thinking it should be left to the discretion of the teacher, and context from class discussions, etc. As for the parents/admin calling out racism and antisemitism, these students are presenting the opportunity for their education! These students give me HOPE!