The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is reviewing its field trip policy after students were brought to an event that turned into a protest.
On Wednesday, students from various schools across Toronto attended a field trip to the Grassy Narrows River Run, a community event organized in support of the Grassy Narrows First Nation and their efforts to address decades-long mercury pollution in their community.
The event was scheduled to begin at Grange Park, near the Art Gallery of Ontario and end at Queen’s Park in front of the provincial legislature.
“This excursion was organized as an educational experience for students to hear from Indigenous voices about the ongoing challenges faced by the people of Grassy Narrows,” the TDSB said in a statement issued Friday.
The school board said it received numerous concerns about the trip, mostly about issues that were raised outside of the event’s main focus.
Videos of the rally on social media show some demonstrators shouting pro-Palestinian chants, such as “From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime.”
Turtle Island is the name that some Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking peoples use to refer to North America.
The school board is now apologizing for the incident after catching heat from pro-Israel groups, such as the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, which said students were exposed to “hateful rhetoric” about Jewish people.
“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,” the TDSB said. “TDSB will also review field trip and relevant procedures with our staff and reiterate our expectations.”
“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 school board added. “We will continue to critically evaluate requests for field trips in accordance with our policies and procedures.”
Ontario’s newly-minted education minister Jill Dunlop weighed into the controversy. In a social media post, Dunlop said she was “deeply disappointed” by the events and said it was unacceptable to compromise the safety and security of students.
“I expect TDSB to conduct a thorough review of the situation and ensure accountability with parents and students to prevent future incidents,” the minister added.
TDSB said it remains committed to the calls to action set out by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and will continue to provide opportunities for students to learn about Indigenous history and contemporary realities.
“The safety and the well-being of our students will continue to be our top priority,” TDSB said.
