The First Nations’ brief moment in the sun was completely overshadowed by a mudslinging match over school board policies and Middle East politics
On Sept. 18, some 15 schools in the Toronto District School Board sent students on a field trip to attend the Grassy Narrows River Run, a rally organized by members of the Grassy Narrows First Nation of northwestern Ontario.
Predictably, a maelstrom ensued. Social media lit up with conflicting claims about the nature of the rally, accusations of attempted indoctrination by the school board and calls for teacher firings. As the TDSB tripped over itself with public apologies, apoplectic parents protested in front of its headquarters and an indignant Premier Doug Ford instructed the Ministry of Education to investigate.
The incident does not reflect well on the TDSB, which has made diversity, equity and inclusion its brand and committed loudly to the project of reconciliation. It has agreed to co-operate fully with the Ministry’s investigation, to review all policies relating to the field trip gone wrong and to take “appropriate action” against any employees who violated existing standards.
It can’t be easy teaching contemporary issues in these polarized times, and Premier Ford’s admonition that students “should be in the classroom learning about reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, the whole shebang” is condescending and facile.
Rally Tdsb Students Student People Action School Ministry Of Education Ministry Doug Ford
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