Urgent need for increased awareness and proactive comprehensive measures to combat the “contagion” of anti-semitism in Toronto schools

BY PAUL JUNOR

There has been much documentation of the rise of anti-semitic incidents globally and the fact that there have been several occurrences within schools in Toronto. There were two incidents of an anti-semitic nature. The first incident occurred at Charles H. Best Junior Middle School when a Grade 8 student was greeted with a Nazi salute.

The second incident occurred at Ledbury Park Elementary in which a teacher at the school compared the enforcement of COVID vaccination passports to Jews being compelled to adorn themselves with the yellow star during the Holocaust. There was the subsequent removal of the teacher by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) during which there will be an investigation of this incident.

On Wednesday, February 17^th, 2022, there was another incident at Valley Park Middle School, which is located on Overlea Boulevard in the Flemingdon Park area. This incident involved two students who displayed the Nazi salute and one shouted out “Heil Hitler” directed at a Jewish French teacher.  In addition, swastikas were painted in the boy’s change room.

The Canadian Jewish News (CJN) reported in an article by Lila Sarick on Monday, February 22^nd, 2022 that the teacher is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. Shari Schwartz-Maltz speaking on behalf of the TDSB told CJN that this hateful incident has been particularly distressing. She states, “It’s so incredibly hurtful, she’s pretty traumatized. We’ve now had two instances of the ‘ Heil Hitler’ salute. This one was particularly hurtful.”

CJN reported that Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust (FSWC), a Jewish-based organization involved in combating anti-semitism wrote a response. It calls for “emergency action.”  Michael Levitt, CEO of FSWC states, “We are calling for an emergency intervention by the board to address this wave of anti-semitism that we see playing out within the student body that will proactively address the hateful stereotypes and misinformation that exist and send a strong message that Jew-hatred will simply not be tolerated within our school.”

The CJN reported that Jaime Kirzner-Roberts (Director of Policy at FSWC) stated in an interview that “The incidents are indicative of a long history of problems at the TDSB” He further states, “There has been a permissiveness towards very problematic comments and dismissal of anti-semitism that’s gone on for s long time at the board. And now they have a crisis on their hands. Now it’s at the point where Jewish teachers are afraid to go to school.”

In another incident, anti-semitic graffiti was sprayed on Central Technical High School, located in the downtown Toronto area in the early morning of Wednesday, March 2^nd, 2022. There has been widespread media attention that has focussed on these hate-filled acts. There has been a concerted call on the TDSB to do more than just provide resources. There is an urgent need for increased awareness and proactive comprehensive measures to combat the “contagion” of anti-semitism in Toronto schools.