Debbie King
Parent, Queen Victoria Public School
Toronto District School Board
Jamea Zuberi
Vice-Principal, Downtown Alternative School
Toronto District School Board
John Malloy
Director of Education
Toronto District School Board
May 28, 2020
Dear Ms. King, Ms. Zuberi and Dr. Malloy,
I’m writing in response to the “Ding dong, the witch is gone” letter as explained in Shree Paradkar’s recent Opinion piece in the Toronto Star: “‘Ding, dong the witch is gone’: Black parents aghast over racist letter to vice-principal force changes at TDSB.”
First, I’d like to congratulate Ms. King and the parents at Queen Victoria Public School who helped spark change in the Toronto DSB. It was a long, hard, difficult fight, it took a relentless effort,as well as media involvement, but the Toronto DSB is now making much needed change as a result of your efforts! Well done, Ms. King, to you and the parents who assisted!
Second, I’d like to congratulate Ms. Zuberi for forming a Black Students Success Committee at Queen Victoria Public School. I’ve read about your accomplishments on the York University website, Ms. Zuberi. You are an impressive woman! The Reviewers of the Peel District School Board called on teachers to stand up for their students and their colleagues, and to relentlessly challenge anti-Black racism and other human rights violations, and that's exactly what you did when you formed the Black Students Success Committee!
Third, I’d like to congratulate Dr. Malloy for apologizing on behalf of the Toronto DSB for previous mismanagement of the “Ding dong, the witch is gone” letter and for pointing the Toronto DSB in the right direction by creating an organizational response team for racism and ensuring principals share every allegation of racism with their superintendent, who must then inform the organizational response team, who will then bring everybody together to determine next steps.
You asked an interesting question and made a related comment in an interview with the Toronto Star. You asked how school boards should deal with information when they are also dealing with investigations, and you explained that part of the challenge is that sometimes confidentiality is communicated as a lack of care or a lack of accountability. That’s absolutely true.
With all due respect, though, Dr. Malloy, sometimes school boards use confidentiality as a secret weapon.
We need to talk about that.
I pointed out to the Durham DSB Trustees, in an email dated May 3, 2020, with a copy to Patrick Case and Nancy Naylor at the Ministry of Education, that accountability, honesty and transparency are the only things that matter right now. Everything else is secondary. The Durham DSB Trustees are currently dealing with very serious harassment issues at senior levels as well as discrimination.
As the parents of Queen Victoria Public School pointed out in their letter to the Toronto DSB, “Privacy and confidentiality cannot be prioritized over school and public safety.”
School boards have been using confidentiality as a way to hide egregious behaviours for a very long time. Whether it’s intentional or not, it needs to stop.
As Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey from the Harvard Graduate School of Education pointed out in their book, An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization, “In an ordinary organization, most people are doing a second job no one is paying them for. In businesses large and small; in government agencies, school, and hospitals; in for-profits and nonprofits, and in any country in the world, most people are spending time and energy covering up their weaknesses, managing other people’s impressions of them, showing themselves to their best advantage, playing politics, hiding their inadequacies, hiding their uncertainties, hiding their limitations. Hiding.”
In addition to figuring out new ways to deal with confidentiality during investigations, school boards must also stop issuing trespass letters to individuals who speak truth to power. School boards also need to stop issuing cease-and-desist letters to employees who attempt to inform the public of what’s going on behind closed doors.
The Peel DSB recently issued a trespass letter to parent and activist Idris Orughu. Mr. Orughu told City News that he was banned for absolutely no reason. He said the board has not demonstrated that he was violent or uttered a threat at any point. This situation is eerily similar to what happened to Christian Cooper earlier this week in New York’s Central Park when Amy Cooper (no relation) threatened to call (and did call) the police on Mr. Cooper after he asked her to put her dog back on its leash.
When City News reached out to the Peel DSB asking how many trespassing notices had been issued to members of the public, a spokesperson would only say “a trespass notice” was issued, but no further details were provided due to “privacy” considerations.
When Shree Paradkar asked for the reason, the board’s director of education, Peter Joshua, responded by saying, “The board is bound by privacy obligations to all involved so I am unable to comment.” As Ms. Paradkar pointed out, either say why Mr. Orughu was banned or lift the ban.
Privacy considerations, cease-and- desist letters, and the culture of fear, silence and retribution breed complicity.
Silence acts as a mighty gatekeeper and allows systemic discrimination to perpetuate itself.
When Bhumika Munroe, a teacher with the Peel DSB, wrote a Letter To The Editor (Professionally Speaking, June 2020) bravely calling out the Ontario College of Teachers for their lack of representation of visible minorities, their lack of representation of teachers representing any cities with populations larger than 120,000, and for painting a false picture in their March 2020 article, "Teaching Through the Decades,” the Editor responded to Ms. Munroe’s letter by stating, "…we recognize there is a cultural diversity that we did not include. We endeavour to ensure the publication is inclusive and will be more conscious in our consideration of representational criteria going forward."
Yet when I wrote to the Ontario Principal’s Council pointing out a video they had released in May, 2020 for National Principals’ Day depicted 16 men and only 9 women, and the vast majority of the people who appeared in the video were white, the Ontario Principals’ Council removed the video a few days later, but no statement was given nor any apologies made to the women and racialized people who were impacted.
It’s time to call silence like this what it is - bad behaviour by people and organizations who know better.
It’s bad behaviour by people and organizations who spend time and energy “covering up their weaknesses, managing other people’s impressions of them, showing themselves to their best advantage, playing politics, hiding their inadequacies, hiding their uncertainties, hiding their limitations. Hiding,” as Kegan and Laskow Lahey said.
It’s an educational superpower that’s being used for all the wrong reasons.
I’ve been in touch with Charline Grant, parent and activist from the York Region DSB. Ms. Grant made headlines in 2017 and again in 2019 for her activism in York Region, and she filed an Application with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal against the York Region DSB. Ms. Grant has kindly given me permission to copy her on my communications on a go forward basis.
I’ve also been in touch with trustees and senior administrators from the York Region DSB, the Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB, the Durham DSB, the Peel DSB and the Thames Valley DSB.
I’ve written to Assistant Deputy Minister Patrick Case and Deputy Minister Nancy Naylor at the Ministry of Education.
I’ve written to Premier Doug Ford, Kathleen Wynne when she was Premier, four different education ministers including Minister Lecce and every MPP in the province.
I’ve also written to the Ontario Ombudsman and Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner.
No one will deal with this problem. [Edit May 29, 2020: Mr. Case is doing his best, but he works for the educational behemoth. Without proper backing from the Minister of Education, there’s not a lot Mr. Case can do.]
If Minister Lecce doesn’t deal with this problem soon – appropriately, properly, responsibly and fully – the education system will implode on itself. This is what’s currently happening in Ontario’s long-term care system.
There was no political will to solve the long-term care crisis until the military stepped in. There’s no political will to solve systemic discrimination in education, either, and that’s a huge part of the problem.
You’ve pointed the boat in the right direction, Dr. Malloy. We need to celebrate that; hence, my letter. (In my opinion, you are one of the best educational leaders Ontario has ever had. [Edit May 29, 2020: Mr. Case is doing a mighty fine job, too.] But your leadership alone is not enough. Besides, you are leaving the province in five months.)
Racialized students are being traumatized by the education system. There are high suicide rates amongst 2SLGBTQ+ students. Indigenous students are underreported because of the stigma associated with self-identifying as being Indigenous. Latin American students are grossly underrepresented in regional choice learning programs. There is factional violence amongst South Asian communities, and this youth violence is exacerbated by the use of drugs and alcohol amongst South Asian students. There are serious concerns about Islamophobia, French curriculum materials that convey blatant hostility to the Muslim community, an ignorance of the basic tenets of Islam, and concerns about how these concerns are being handled. Women have to work twice as hard as men in order to be promoted, even harder if they are racialized. Black men are being killed in the United States in alarming numbers. George Floyd is the latest. The video of his death at the hands of police is horrific. The Black community in the U. S. feels as if the police put a knee on their collective necks. I suspect that’s how the Black community in Canada feels right now, too.
It’s our job as educators to help eliminate systemic discrimination in society instead of perpetuating it.
In a recent Opinion piece, Shree Paradkar pointed out that “even leaderless movements need a shepherd, someone who will be there come blizzard or high water, who can be relied upon to agitate, to represent, to hold feet to fire.”
Let’s agitate. Let’s be there come blizzard or high water. Let’s represent all cultures, all genders, all creeds and all races, and collectively hold Minister Lecce’s feet to the fire.
Ms. King and Ms. Zuberi, please forward this letter to Minister Lecce and your local MPPs and ask when the Ontario government is going to resolve systemic discrimination and the culture of fear, silence and retribution that exists in education once and for all. Also, please forward this letter to any individuals or organizations who are concerned about this growing crisis and ask them to forward it to Minister Lecce and their local MPPs.
Ms. King, please forward this letter to the parents who assisted you at Queen Victoria Public School and ask them to forward it to parents who are concerned and ask them to do the same.
Peel DSB trustees, please forward this letter to the Peel advocacy group who sent you the online petition, the 18 organizations who sent you the letter asking for the termination of individuals, to Mr. Orughu, to Stephen Lecce and to your local MPP, and ask these individuals and organizations to send it to Minister Lecce and their local MPPs.
Ms. Grant, please forward this letter to individuals in the York Region DSB community who wish to help make a difference and ask them to forward it to Minister Lecce, to their MPPs, and to others who are concerned and ask them to do the same.
Durham DSB superintendents and teaching community, please do the same.
Please also share it widely on social media.
Let’s work together to help stamp out systemic discrimination and the culture of fear, silence and retribution in education in Ontario forever.
Yours in education,
Debbie L. Kasman
M. Ed, Policy Studies, OISE/University of Toronto, Education Re-imagined, Analyst & Researcher, Author & Speaker
[Editor’s Note: Dr. John Malloy responded publicly within a few hours: “Thank you Debbie for sharing your perspective.... We have to keep moving forward. Much appreciated, John.”
On May 29, 2020 at 9:23 a.m. Robin Pilkey, Chair of the Toronto DSB responded: “Hello Ms. Kasman, On behalf of the Board, thank you for copying us on your letter. You have raised many excellent points and there is no doubt as a board we still have work to do. This work cannot stop, regardless of who our director is, and as Chair I am committed to ensuring that this will be at the forefront of trustee’s minds as we search for a new director. The events at Queen Victoria PS, and any others like it elsewhere, are unacceptable. Again, thank you for sharing your perspective. Regards, Robin Pilkey.”
Dr. Malloy and Ms. Pilkey issued the following statement on May 29, 2020 in the evening:
“Subject: Statement from TDSB Chair Robin Pilkey and Director John Malloy
"Racism in all forms is deeply rooted in our history. This week reminds us of the ongoing impact of anti-Black racism on individuals and communities. Through the media, we have witnessed violence and harassment against members of the Black community. We are acutely aware of the devastating impacts of anti-Black racism in our world, in our community and in the Toronto District School Board.
“These events are felt personally, and in different ways by our students, staff and community at the TDSB. We recognize that there are a myriad of feelings being experienced by Black staff and students in the TDSB. There is a heightened sense of vulnerability and reactions of sadness, insecurity, anger, and grief – to name a few. It is incumbent upon all of us to stand up and do whatever it takes to end racism, hate and oppression of all kinds. Silence is not acceptable. The profound harm it causes to individuals, families and communities can no longer be debated or tolerated and must be stopped.
“The Toronto District School Board continues to be committed to equity and inclusion, and we acknowledge the importance of addressing anti-Black racism. As we continue to serve students and communities, these acts of violence are critical reminders that we need to remain focused and committed to the changes that need to happen for our students and families. We need to continuously examine our commitment on how we make schools safe places for all students, staff, parents and communities.
“In the TDSB, we do not always get things right, but we will maintain an unwavering focus on ending anti-Black racism and all forms of oppression. We know we need to hear the voices of our students, community and staff, and make sure our equity efforts are informed by these voices. In our sadness, let us work towards change and hold each other accountable for taking a stand against individual and systemic acts of anti-Black racism. Let us work together to make a difference and fight against all forms of racism and hate as we strive to change the future in the lives of our TDSB community and beyond.”
I forwarded a copy of the letter to the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and asked them to consider sharing it with their membership. On June 1, 2020, I received the following response: “Hi Debbie and thank you so much for sharing your letter. We had a lot of discussion about it among staff and it prompted ETFO to release a broader statement today on anti-Black racism in view of the current protests happening around the world. I’ve attached the statement. Thanks again. “ Valerie Dugale, ETFO Media Relations. ETFO’s statement can be found here.
On June 5, 2020 Black parents at Queen Victoria P. S. launched a petition asking for further change. You can sign/view the petition here.
On June 17, the TDSB unanimously voted to approve funding to create a new TDSB Centre for Black Student Achievement, the first of its kind in Canada.
For updates, click here: https://bit.ly/DebbieLKasmanupdates]
CC: Premier Doug Ford,
MPP Merit Styles
MPP Mitzie Hunter
MPP Lorne Coe
Patrick Case, Education Equity Secretariat
Nancy Naylor, Ministry of Education
Toronto DSB Trustees/Senior Administrators
Durham DSB Trustees/Senior Administrators
York Region DSB Trustees/Senior Administrators
Peel DSB Trustees/Senior Administrators
Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB Trustees/Senior Administrators
Thames Valley DSB Trustees/Senior Administrators
Ontario College of Teachers
Ontario Principals’ Council
Council of Ontario Directors of Education
Ontario Public Supervisory Officials’ Association
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association
Charline Grant, parent York Region DSB
Kristin Rushowy, Toronto Star
Shree Paradkar, Toronto Star
Jillian Follert, DurhamRegion.com
Travis Dhanraj, Global News
Mike Crawley, CBC
Caroline Alphonso, Globe and Mail
** Most of the copies will be sent under separate cover.