TORONTO — The Anti-Racism Program of the CJPME Foundation (ARPCF) is calling on the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to reverse its decision to cancel a workshop on anti-Palestinian racism, arguing the move undermines the board’s commitments to equity and inclusion.In a statement released Friday, the Montreal-based organization said the educational session was cancelled one day before it was scheduled to take place. According to ARPCF, the TDSB said the workshop was cancelled because of concerns that it could be “divisive.”ARPCF criticized the decision, noting that the TDSB formally incorporated anti-Palestinian racism into its Combating Hate and Racism strategy in June 2025. The organization said that policy committed the board to supporting Palestinian students, providing professional learning opportunities for staff, and addressing the erasure of Palestinian identities in schools..“The TDSB formally adopted anti-Palestinian racism into its Combating Hate and Racism strategy in June 2025,” ARPCF said in its statement. “Cancelling this session disregards that mandate and signals to students that conversations about Palestinian rights and experiences are unwelcome in educational spaces.”The organization said the cancellation reflects what it described as a broader pattern identified in a 2024 Ministry of Education-sanctioned report on TDSB policies. According to ARPCF, the report found board leadership had, in some cases, reacted to complaints without adequately verifying facts or considering wider educational goals.Jamila Ewais, lead researcher for ARPCF, said Palestinian students are particularly affected when opportunities to discuss anti-Palestinian racism are removed.“Palestinian students, already navigating systemic bias and social marginalization, are particularly vulnerable when the Board curtails opportunities to address their lived experiences and teach their peers about anti-Palestinian racism,” Ewais said.ARPCF argued that educational institutions should encourage discussion and understanding of discrimination and racism, rather than limiting conversations because they may generate disagreement or controversy.The organization is urging the TDSB to immediately reinstate the cancelled workshop, continue planned professional learning initiatives on anti-Palestinian racism, and publicly reaffirm its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.The TDSB had not publicly commented on ARPCF’s statement as of Friday.
