Toronto School Board to include 'anti-Palestinian racism' as part of 'anti-racism' program even though there's no 'specific definition' for it

Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustees included "anti-Palestinian racism" within its anti-discrimination program by a 15-7 vote Wednesday night. The move is part of a broader strategy to combat alleged discrimination within Canada's largest public school district.

Hundreds of Jewish parents argue the inclusion will only make it more difficult to fend off antisemitism, the National Post reports, as Palestinians join a growing list of alleged victims of discrimination.

The decision from the largest school board in Canada offended parent Larry Maher, who predicted the "adoption of anti-Palestinian racism is going to enable those to weaponize against anyone that practices Judaism and or supports Israel. Regardless of ethnicity or religion."

The TDSB's anti-discrimination program targets a cornucopia of alleged prejudices that includes anti-Indigenous sentiment, Islamophobia and antisemitism. Anti-Palestinian racism was added, according to the TDSB, after students and people in the local community suggested it.

But the notion of "anti-Palestinian racism" is difficult to precisely describe. TDSB spokesman Ryan Bird admitted there isn't a "specific definition," but the board will consider the advice offered by the Ontario Human Rights Code when implementing its policy.

Toronto's large Jewish community fear this addition will stifle people from supporting Israel or criticizing the Jewish state's opponents. Those who did want the anti-discrimination program expanded were not allowed to speak when the proposal was first discussed on June 5, according to the Post.

TDSB trustee Patrick Nunziata told the Post, "Given the amount of response and traffic I had received on this issue I felt that voting in favour of this would create too much liability for TDSB. "Although I am not an expert on this conflict, I listened to and felt the agitation, pain and fear this caused for my colleagues and many of our stakeholders, I have both a fiduciary responsibility and moral obligation to oppose this unnecessary and hurtful grandstanding. I voted to send this back to staff for further work, we need to revise this so all groups feel comfortable."

Jewish-rights body B'nai Brith is also against the program's expansion and told TDSB to "not implement the report's recommendation on anti-Palestinian racism in their anti-racism strategy."

"TDSB must prioritize the fight against antisemitism and make decisions that do not compromise the well-being of their Jewish students," according to a post on X.