Demonstrators in Toronto called for the imminent demise of the Jewish state during a march in the city last week.
Multimedia journalist Beth Baisch uploaded video documentation to social media of the genocidal chant “From Palestine to Lebanon, Israel will soon be gone.”
Toronto middle-schoolers on a field trip last Wednesday were forced to participate in an anti-Israel protest after parents were told that their children would be observing a demonstration at Grange Park against mercury contamination in an Ontario First Nation tribe.
During the event, teachers allegedly instructed the seventh- and eighth-grade students to wear blue shirts identifying them as “settlers” and “colonizers,” and they were encouraged to take an active role in the anti-Israel chants.
One Jewish student was allegedly told by a teacher to “get over it” after expressing discomfort with the anti-Israel chants, the Toronto Sun reported.
“It is very frustrating that elements of the anti-Israel mob are using their positions as educators to drive this agenda on impressionable children who know nothing about this conflict in the Middle East,” Toronto City Councillor James Pasternak told the Sun. “Our education system must nurture young minds in a positive way and not teach them to demonize those they don’t agree with.”
Ontario Education Minister Jill Dunlop wrote that she was “deeply disappointed” by the events. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) apologized and said that it was investigating the incident and reviewing its policies.
“Compromising the security and safety of students is unacceptable. I expect TDSB to conduct a thorough review of the situation and ensure accountability with parents and students to prevent future incidents,” Dunlop wrote.
“They lied about the purpose of the field trip. They lied about what students would do. The @TDSB teachers who lied to #Toronto parents must be held accountable,” Kevin Vuong, an independent member of Parliament for Spadina—Fort York, tweeted.
“Sorry@TDSB but this apology is not enough. The board must keep a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, and you failed. Any rational calculation would have prevented this school trip from happening. Parents expressed their legitimate concerns and you ignored them. Let’s work together to ensure schools remain a space where students can learn together and not be divided,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs wrote.
