Three TDSB staff members cleared by third-party review amid allegations of anti-Black racism: board
CTV
Three staff members who were placed on home assignment amid allegations of anti-Black racism at a Toronto elementary school have been cleared following a third-party review.
Three staff members who were placed on home assignment amid allegations of anti-Black racism at a Toronto elementary school have been cleared following a third-party review.
The Toronto District School Board placed a principal, vice-principal and teacher at John Fisher Junior Public School, near Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue, on home assignment in March 2023 after a six-year-old Black student was allegedly separated from his peers and locked in a closet-sized room.
In an update sent to parents and guardians on Friday, the board confirmed that it has now completed its investigation into the “nearly 50 allegations” that were made and has concluded that they “were not substantiated” when it came to being in violation of any TDSB policies or the Ontario Human Rights Code.
“I know this has been a challenging time for the school community and most of all for the people directly involved,” Superintendent of Education Roni Felsen says in the letter. “I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we have worked through this complex process. While lengthy, it was process that needed to be carefully completed given the allegations.”
In the letter, the board said that its third-party review could not begin until the Toronto police and the Children’s Aid Society were able to complete their investigation, which only happened in late August.
The board said that the review then took “longer than anticipated” due to the large number of witnesses that had to be interviewed and some “unforeseen delays.”
Now that the investigation is complete, the board said that the teacher involved is set to return to the school in September and will have a joint Grade 1 and 2 class. The principal has made the decision to retire and will not be returning to the school, the board noted. The vice-principal, meanwhile, has been appointed to the same role at another TDSB school due to the fact that John Fisher Junior Public School no longer has an allocation for that position due to its enrolment.
