Readers of this weekly update know that GAJE is suing the Government of Ontario to compel it to treat each of Ontario’s children equally in relation to the funding of their education.
Last week, a young Middle School student filed a lawsuit against the Peel District
School Board (PDSB), administrators and a teacher at an elementary school in Peel, for failing to protect the young student from being harassed and bullied through physical assault, hate speech, and repeated targeting after “October 7”, solely on account of the student’s Jewishness.
If the Government of Ontario does not feel shame at the discrimination it perpetuates through its funding of education in the province, it should surely feel shame and disgust at the discrimination and abuse suffered by this young student at one of the province’s publicly funded schools.
The Legal Task Force of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs issued a public statement last week in which it brought to the public’s attention the horrific extent of the vilification aimed at the young student at her school by students and teachers. According to the statement, “Despite repeated complaints to teachers and school administrators, no meaningful steps were taken to ensure the Plaintiff’s safety.”
In one example of intimidation, “during a pro-Palestinian protest on school grounds during school hours, in the presence of faculty members, the student was identified as Jewish. Approximately 40 students subsequently surrounded the student and directed antisemitic chants at them, including “Jews must die” and “Jews are not worthy of living.”
When the student reported the awful behaviour to the school principal, he responded that the young student “didn’t exactly hide that [they were] Jewish.” The principal’s response was simply grotesque. As if cuffing the frightened student’s face with the back of his hand, the principal, dismissed the incident. He actually blamed the student for the abominable abuse hurled by the haters.
How can members of the PDSB, administrators and educators at the school, and Ministry of Education officials not feel profound shame at such openly brazen manifestations of hatred against Jews?
How can we – Jews, parents, grandparents, civic-minded, law-abiding Ontarians – not feel anger?
The lawsuit outlines how the defendants – the Peel District School Board, Superintendent of Education Soni Gill, Principal Michael Poole, and the Plaintiff’s teacher Matthew McIntosh – enabled a hostile, antisemitic environment through their repeated failure to intervene, uphold school policies, hold offenders accountable, and protect the Plaintiff. It alleges that they were negligent and breached their duties of care by violating Board policies, failing to meet their obligations under the Education Act, and discriminating against the Plaintiff in contravention of the Human Rights Code. In some cases, the Defendants are alleged to have directly contributed to or enabled the antisemitic conduct.
The student’s litigation guardian is quoted in the CIJA press release: “No child should be afraid to go to school because of who they are. My child was targeted, humiliated, and physically assaulted just for being Jewish – and the people who were supposed to protect them failed to take meaningful action to stop the abuse. We took this step not just for my child, but for every Jewish student who deserves to feel safe and supported in the classroom.”
We marvel at the student’s courage and resolve. We commend the student’s parents. Feelings of anger are but ultimate weakness if they remain only in the realm of emotional catharsis. But when they motivate, when they lead to action – such as in this case – they can help “change the world”. Injustice can be called out. Ill-treatment remedied. And perhaps too, hatred ultimately vanquished.
The press release should be read for a fuller background of the case. It can be found at: https://www.cija.ca/school_student_seeks_justice_over_antisemitic_bullying_and_assault
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On the subject of righteously felt anger as a launch pad for restorative, remedial action, we recommend last week’s posting by Adam Hummel of his latest article on Catch: Jewish Canadian Ideas. Entitled: Angry? You Should Be. Inspired by the molotov cocktail violence against Jews in Boulder, Colorado and by the murders of Sarah Milgrom and Yaron Lischinsky in Washington, D.C., it is a searing indictment of the morally inverted, topsy-turvy embrace of vile behaviour directed at the Jews and at Israel, by haters of Jews and of Israel, hardcore ideologues, and uninformed social activists.
Hummel writes directly, commandingly: “We’re angry because our kids are being harassed in school, and when we speak up, we’re told we’re overreacting. We’re angry because our synagogues have police stationed outside, and yet it’s somehow our fault for “being political.” We’re angry because Jewish students on campus have to hide their identities and jewelry to be safe while the ones calling for intifada are handed microphones, megaphones, and scholarships.”
“We’re angry because Canada is our home. And in our home, we shouldn’t be treated like strangers, or worse, like enemies. We’ve bled for this country. Fought in its wars. Helped build it. Paid taxes. Hired workers. Donated to hospitals. Taught in its schools. And what do we get in return? Vandalized community centres. Hate-fests in downtown Toronto. Editorials equating Jewish safety with apartheid.”
Hummel’s posting should be read too. https://catchjcp.substack.com/p/angry
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GAJE expects to be before the Court of Appeal in the Fall, arguing for the right to a hearing on the merits of our application for fair educational funding in Ontario. When we learn the date of the hearing, we will share it with our readers.
If you wish to contribute to GAJE’s lawsuit, please click here. Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of helping to underwrite the costs of the lawsuit. For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com
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Shabbat shalom. Chag Shavuot Samayach. Am Yisrael Chai
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
June 6, 2025
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 