12 Jewish teachers file human rights complaints against group of Ontario school boards, unions | CBC News
Complaints allege that boards, unions failed to protect the human rights of teachers
Twelve Jewish teachers have filed human rights complaints against a group of Ontario school boards and teachers' unions, alleging they have experienced discrimination at their workplaces due to incidents of antisemitism.
The teachers, who have filed complaints with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, say institutions responsible for their workplaces not only failed to act, but in many cases penalized them when they did report discrimination.
Kathryn Marshall, an employment and human rights lawyer and founding partner of Marshall Law, a Toronto law firm, said Friday that the point of the complaints is to bring about change. She said the teachers face daily occurrences of hate.
"All of these teachers all went to their unions for support and the boards for support and help and they were ignored, which is why they're having to sue," Marshall said.
"We are asking the school boards and demanding that they protect the human rights of these teachers."
The complaints name the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), York Region District School Board (YRDSB), Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB), Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) and Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation (OCETFO).
The teachers are seeking damages of $150,000 each for injury to their dignity and self-respect, as well as compensation for psychological counselling.
One teacher alleges the TDSB did not investigate or meaningfully address an incident in which a swastika was drawn on a desk in her classroom even though she made a complaint.
Another teacher said they witnessed students playing a game about Hitler in the schoolyard, while still another said a student played the Nazi anthem in class.
A third teacher said she was met with hostility and publicly reprimanded after she tried at a union meeting in Toronto to speak out about antisemitism at work.
A fourth teacher complained about the Star of David being removed repeatedly from the school's anti-hate bulletin board and said nothing was done.
Dive deeper
- Complaints allege that boards, unions failed to protect the human rights of teachers
- Twelve Jewish teachers have filed human rights complaints against a group of Ontario school boards and teachers' unions, alleging they have experienced discrimination at their workplaces due to incidents of antisemitism.
- The teachers, who have filed complaints with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, say institutions responsible for their workplaces not only failed to act, but in many cases penalized them when they did report discrimination.
- Kathryn Marshall, an employment and human rights lawyer and founding partner of Marshall Law, a Toronto law firm, said Friday that the point of the complaints is to bring about change. She said the teachers face daily occurrences of hate.
- "All of these teachers all went to their unions for support and the boards for support and help and they were ignored, which is why they're having to sue," Marshall said.