Former Toronto District School Board (TDSB) principal Richard Bilkszto killed himself because of the mental anguish he was suffering from cancel culture. .“He was 60 years old,” said Libertas Law lawyer Lisa Bildy in a Thursday statement. .“He leaves his distraught mother, brother, nephews, niece, and many dear family and friends whose lives he touched over the years.” .Bilkszto decided to sue the TDSB in April after he was cancelled for standing up against a diversity, inclusion, and equity (DIE) training session in 2021. .READ MORE: CRESCIA: Saving the capitalist golden goose.KOJO Institute CEO and trainer Kike Ojo-Thompson said Canada is a more racist place than the United States because it is a bastion of white supremacy and colonialism, and she alleged capitalism and patriarchy are killing people..Bilkszto disagreed with Ojo-Thompson, and she insinuated he was a white supremacist. To add fuel to the fire, he was insulted by his management the following day for his white male privilege and reprimanded for speaking out. .While Bilkszto had recently retired, Bildy said he continued to do contract work for the TDSB. She added he was “passionate about helping learners succeed and became a highly accomplished leader in the field of Adult Education over his 24-year career with the TDSB.” .A TDSB superintendent told Bilkszto when he retired from full-time work in 2019 that he has “proven your excellence in equity, instruction, entrepreneurship, student engagement, and breaking new ground for communities where chronic struggles, mental health, and newcomer status often brought more frustration than success.” .“You have been a leader amongst leaders in changing their lives,” said the superintendent. .“I am proud to have worked with you.” .A ruling from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board confirmed he had experienced workplace bullying after the DIE training held by the KOJO Institute. .After being cancelled for opposing the TDSB’s equity agenda, he advocated to bring people together through a more equality-focused, pro-human approach and spoke out against the lottery system for specialized programs it had introduced that removed any consideration of merit..He admitted he was concerned with fairness and respect for all learners — a mission he thought public education was straying from. .Bildy concluded by saying Bilkszto succumbed to the mental distress from being cancelled on July 13. She said his family and friends have been left reeling and wish they could have been given the chance to convince him that he was loved, respected, and needed. .“May he rest in peace,” she said.
