Ontario Catholic school board sends 'Me and White Supremacy' to all new principals, vice-principals for 'professional development'

The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) is asking all "newly commissioned principals and vice-principals" within its jurisdiction if they've received their copies of "Me and White Supremacy" and its follow-up workbook, "White Supremacy: a Guided Journey."

It's reportedly mandatory reading if a person wants to work at the YCDSB.

"The Office of the Human Rights and Equity Advisor is committed to continuing the professional development journey of Administrators through the work of Layla F. Saad, author of Me and White Supremacy," reads a memo from YCDSB Director of Education Dominic Scuglia. 

"If you have been a newly commissioned commissioned Principal or Vice-Principal in August 2022 or August 2023, and have not yet received your copy of the two resources, Me and White Supremacy book and Me and White Supremacy A Guided Journal, please email by Monday Oct. 30, 2023."

"Please be sure to include your school location," Di Prima advises, telling the recipients of the book that a resource is available to ensure everyone understands the book correctly.

"When the books are sent to you at your school, you will also be provided a link to the private YouTube playlist of the 2021-2022 shared reading with Michael Farrell, human rights and a quick equity advisor, to promote a shared understanding of Me and White Supremacy among the administrators."

The memo was forwarded by Chantal Pfahl, who noted the memo was sent " to all 'newly commissioned' principals and vice-principals at the @YCDSB [and] explains that they each will need a copy of "Me and White Supremacy," and the associated guided journal, as they continue on "the professional development journey."

Pfahl also found an X post from Di Prima that advises that "professional development" for occasional teachers at the @YCDSB also starts with reading the book.

"Me and White Supremacy" is a book described in on Amazon as an "eye-opening book [that] challenges you to do the essential work of unpacking your biases, and helps white people take action and dismantle the privilege within themselves so that you can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too."

Amazon includes the praise of New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert, who states, "Layla Saad is one of the most important and valuable teachers we have right now on the subject of white supremacy and racial injustice."

The Post Millennial reached out to Scuglia with a phone call and the principal assigned to the Office of the Human Rights Equity Advisor, Angela Di Prima, with an email but neither was inclined to respond.