The status quo is simply unsustainable and unacceptable.
Every student has a right to be safe at school—no matter their background or religion. But a newly released federal report confirms that antisemitism is a systemic problem in Ontario’s public education system. Jewish students are being harassed, excluded, and dehumanized—by their peers and, in some cases, by their teachers. When antisemitic incidents occur, administrators are failing to hold school staff accountable.
That’s why we wrote to the Government of Ontario calling for real, tangible action to address antisemitism in public schools. And if nothing changes, the Minister must stay true to his commitment and step in if school boards fail in their mandate to deliver safe schools.
But we need your help to deliver a strong message to government.
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The federal report, Antisemitism in Ontario’s K–12 Schools, commissioned by the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, paints a disturbing picture:
- Nearly three–quarters of the incidents took place in the Toronto District School Board, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and the York Region District School Board.
- More than 40% of incidents involved Nazi salutes, glorification of Hitler, or similar expressions of hate.
- Nearly 1 in 6 incidents were initiated by a teacher or part of a school-sanctioned activity.
- Almost half of the antisemitic incidents reported to school authorities were not investigated.
We appreciate Minister Calandra’s strong response to the report’s release and findings:
“Schools must be a safe place for every student… If boards are unable to succeed in their main mandate—student achievement—by delivering safe schools, then I will step in.”
To support and build on this commitment, we wrote to the Ontario government to immediately develop and implement an actionable strategy to tackle antisemitism in schools.
That must include:
- School Board Accountability: Clear standards for addressing hate, provincial oversight, and appointing supervisors for boards that fail in their mandate.
- Mandatory Holocaust Education: Expedite the rollout of the delayed Holocaust curriculum.
- Adoption of the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism: Already adopted by the Government of Ontario, school boards must follow suit to ensure consistent recognition and response. The Government of Canada’s Handbook on IHRA is a resource that could support school boards when utilizing IHRA to address and combat antisemitism.
- Minimize Divisive Geopolitics in Classrooms: Provide guidance to ensure respectful, fact-based and balanced classroom discussion so Jewish students don’t feel isolated or in danger.
- Standardized Hate Reporting: Create a province-wide system with clear definitions, timelines for response, public reporting data, and the recognition that Jewish identity is both religious and ethnic.
- Staff Accountability: Enforceable standards of conduct for school staff, with real consequences when those standards are breached.
We are at a pivotal moment, and the government must do all it can to ensure Ontario’s schools are safe, inclusive, and equitable for all — including Jewish students.