Trustees Pasternak and Matlow fight anti-Israel stand and intolerance

As a result of a motion from Toronto District School Board Trustees James Pasternak and Josh Matlow, the Toronto District School Board chair has sent a letter to Sid Ryan, President of CUPE Ontario, expressing strong disapproval about his recent comments regarding censorship of Israeli academic institutions, along with other comments made by Mr. Ryan.

Trustees Matlow and Pasternak thank Board Chair John Campbell, and members of the board, for their support and their principled stand against intolerance.

Here is the text of Chair Campbell's letter:



Dear Mr. Ryan,

The TDSB has been called the leading education system in the world for making students from diverse backgrounds feel welcome in school.
Educators from around the globe consider TDSB to be the benchmark for equity and inclusiveness. It was on this record that TDSB won a prestigious 2008 internationally recognised award for excellence in education (referred to by some as the Nobel Prize for Education).

This honour was based on, in no small part, the efforts of our
educational assistants, caretakers, school office staff, and other support staff. Every day the TDSB staff, who are represented by CUPE 4400, go to great lengths to create supportive school environments for every one of our students.

Balanced and thoughtful debate about world issues is an important
component of helping students to become critical thinkers and
responsible members of a democratic society. As a result, many of our Trustees, including me, were dismayed to read recently (among other remarks) of your call for CUPE Ontario to vote for sanctions by Canadian universities against Israeli academics and universities.

The nature and tone of your remarks are contrary to the spirit with which our staff, your member, support their students. And while your comments were directed at universities and not school boards, they can leave the impression that you think that children (and adults) from some cultures should be less welcome in our schools than others. This is contrary to both TDSB policy and to the daily commitment demonstrated by our staff who are members of CUPE 4400.

Sincerely,

John Campbell
Chair, Toronto District School Board