Jewish and Allied Organizations Condemn TDSB Vote, Call for Provincial Action
JEWISH AND ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS CONDEMN TDSB VOTE, CALL FOR PROVINCIAL ACTION
Toronto, ON – February 13, 2025 – This evening, the Toronto District School Board's (TDSB) Planning and Priorities Committee voted against receiving the report on Affirming Jewish Identities & Addressing Antisemitism.
The report, which benefited from months of consultations with a diversity of Jewish organizations and individuals, was endorsed by leading Jewish groups, educators, parents, and students throughout the community. It affirmed the reality of antisemitism in various forms within schools, noted the significant impact of anti-Jewish hate on students and staff, and outlined meaningful action items for the TDSB to address this serious challenge.
In response, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Toronto Holocaust Museum, and Allies for a Strong Canada strongly condemned the vote. The five organizations jointly called on the Government of Ontario to use all necessary powers at its disposal to intervene and protect the rights and safety of Jews within the TDSB.
QUOTES
Michelle Stock, Vice President, Ontario, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs:
"We are sickened by the results of this evening's vote, which concludes hours of deliberations in which Jewish parents, staff, and students witnessed the TDSB become a platform for anti-Jewish rhetoric and antisemitism denial. The fact that last night's committee meeting was dominated by hateful extremists attempting to import the Middle East conflict into the TDSB—and cynically exploit it to deny protections for Jewish students—shows just how much open hostility Jews are facing within the Board."
Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center:
"The TDSB trustees who voted against accepting this report have shamefully and cowardly swept the issue of antisemitism under the rug. Like many within and beyond Toronto's Jewish community, we have lost faith in the willingness of the TDSB to safeguard the well-being of Jewish students and staff. Severe harm has been done by this vote—and it must not go unchallenged at a time when Jewish kids face bullying and prejudice in their own schools."
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