The principal of Earl Haig Secondary School in North York has issued a letter to families following backlash over the Arabic-language version of O Canada being played during morning announcements on Oct. 7, the second anniversary of the 2023 Hamas terror attacks in Israel.In the letter, dated Thursday, Principal Steve Yee acknowledged the timing of the broadcast was painful for many in the school community and apologized, stressing that the incident was not intentional.“After speaking with multiple students and staff throughout the week, including those who are part of our Earl Haig Radio Team, we can now say with certainty that this was not done with any ill intent and that they are truly remorseful for what happened,” Yee wrote. .“That being said, I recognize the hurt that playing this version of the anthem on this date caused those in our community, and we are deeply sorry for this.”Two Jewish alumni of Earl Haig told The Western Standard they felt the incident highlighted deeper issues at the school.“As a member of the Jewish community and a former Earl Haig student, I’ve never been a vocal advocate for either Israel or Palestine,” one alumnus said.“That said, I believe it’s inappropriate for a public school to take sides on such a complex and sensitive issue. This recent action by the school put many Jewish students in an uncomfortable position, forcing them to question whether they — and their faith — were being singled out or shamed.”.Another recent graduate described both personal experiences of antisemitism and concern over the Oct. 7 broadcast.“I’m appalled by Earl Haig’s actions on October 7th. As a recent alumnus, I had the honour of going there; however, in contrast, the unfortunate antisemitic rhetoric played out at Earl Haig in real life. My experiences there were of constantly being named a ‘Jew’ and even being called derogatory terms and dismissive remarks about the Holocaust,” the alumnus said.“Moreover, I’ve had friends who did the announcements and were always under the teacher’s guidance, showing that it was either a severely misinformed incident or done with malicious intent, which, either way, deserves a deepening education. What occurred on October 7th at Earl Haig is baffling and, truthfully, alarming for the Jewish population.”.Yee said he met with the school’s Jewish Student Association and other students shortly after the broadcast and that staff have been checking in throughout the week to provide support.He also confirmed that, in line with new direction from the Ontario education minister, all schools in the Toronto District School Board will now use only the English, French, or instrumental versions of the national anthem moving forward.The letter follows criticism from Education Minister Paul Calandra, who earlier this week said he was “disappointed” with the decision and emphasized that school boards should “create safe learning environments for all students, never at the expense of one community over another.”.Earl Haig, located near Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue, has about 2,000 students and is home to the Claude Watson Arts Program. The school’s website lists a Jewish Students Union among its extracurricular clubs, and its parent handbook provides contact information for Jewish Family and Child Services.In his closing remarks, Yee told families: “At Earl Haig, caring for each other is who we are."
