Toronto School Board Launches Investigation After Students Taken to Pro-Palestinian Protest

A Toronto District School Board sign is shown in front of a high school in Toronto on Jan. 30, 2018. The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) says it will be investigating after coming under scrutiny for allegedly taking students to a pro-Palestinian protest as a field trip.

Parents were told that the field trip to Grange Park in Toronto was to learn more about the Grassy Narrows First Nation’s struggle with mercury contamination caused by industry, according to a report by Woke Watch Canada.

However, students were seen marching alongside protesters in social media videos, Woke Watch said.

Ontario’s Education Minister Jill Dunlop said she wants the school board to investigate what happened.

“I am deeply disappointed by yesterday’s events,” she said in a Sept. 19 post on X. “Compromising the security and safety of students is unacceptable. I expect TDSB to conduct a thorough review of the situation and ensure accountability with parents and students to prevent future incidents.”

Acting Director of Education Louise Sirisko said the board is investigating.

“TDSB received a number of concerns about this trip, in particular that issues outside of the main focus of the event were raised,” she said in a Sept. 20 statement.

“We apologize for the harm that some students may have experienced as a result. We take these concerns very seriously and will prioritize our investigation into the matter.”

Sirisko said the TDSB would be reviewing field trip procedures with staff, and there could be disciplinary action taken if the investigation finds board policies were violated.

“While we are in the early stages of the investigation, if it is found that TDSB policies, procedures or professional standards were not followed, we will take appropriate action, which may include discipline and/or changes to our field trip process to ensure accountability,” the statement said.

As word of the incident spread on social media, MP Kevin Vuong had harsh words for the school board.

“They lied about the purpose of the field trip,” he said in a Sept. 19 post on X. “The TDSB teachers who lied to Toronto parents must be held accountable.”

The Consul-General of Israel in Toronto also condemned the school board for its decision.

“The TDSB has crossed a line,” Idit Shamir said in a Sept. 18 post on X.

“Children get sent to school to learn; they should NEVER be forced to participate in political protests. It’s not just that they’ve taken a side—it’s that they have utterly disregarded the rights of pro-Israel and Jewish students and staff, along with any commitment to truth and balance. This isn’t education; it’s indoctrination—it’s an affront to the very purpose of education.”