Ontario\u2019s education minister is facing pushback over a memo sent to school boards which said graduations shouldn\u2019t contain any political messages. <\/p>\n
Ontario\u2019s education minister defended a letter he sent to school boards earlier this week, calling for graduation ceremonies to be \u201cstrictly student-centred, apolitical, inclusive and respectful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Calandra was grilled by reporters at Queen\u2019s Park on Wednesday about the letter, which the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) found deeply concerning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI expect graduations to be a highlight of student achievement, full stop,\u201d the minister said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI simply want it to be, and I think most parents and teachers themselves want it to be, on student achievement. I think graduations are, not I think, I know graduations are very important to parents, they\u2019re very important to students, but it\u2019s also, it\u2019s an opportunity for students to be recognized for their hard work, but it\u2019s also an opportunity for parents to recognize the hard work that teachers have done to get their students to that spot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Calandra told reporters the letter was prompted by a memo sent from the superintendent of the Hamilton Wentworth School Board to teachers that, in addition to student achievement, graduation ceremonies should also focus on \u201ccolonization and a whole host of other divisive issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the letter dated March 20, Calandra wrote that graduation ceremonies are \u201cnot an appropriate forum for organizers or administrators to express political views or promote personal or institutional positions, or engage in divisive or contentious issues of any kind.\u201d<\/p>\n
The minister then said he expects school boards to review and, if necessary, revise graduation protocols to keep the focus on recognizing student achievement.<\/p>\n
Calandra warned in his letter that if boards failed to meet his expectations, he would not hesitate to use every tool available to him \u201cto ensure that students are always put first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder no circumstances should educators be placed in positions that create conflict between students and their families. Graduation ceremonies must remain free from disruption, distraction, or division, and are expected to reflect the significance of students\u2019 accomplishments,\u201d the minister wrote.<\/p>\n
Calandra told reporters on Wednesday that he is confident school boards will cooperate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they don\u2019t, then we will provide some binding regulations for next year,\u201d he said, reiterating that his ministry has tools to set expectations for graduation ceremonies. Calandra would not say if that included putting non-compliant boards under supervision.<\/p>\n
When asked what would happen to a student who expressed anti-Doug Ford sentiments at graduation, Calandra clarified the purpose of his letter is not to police speech but is meant to address how graduation ceremonies are organized.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you go to a graduation ceremony for your child or any of you go, it should be focused on the child\u2019s, the student\u2019s achievement. It should be focused on what teachers did to get your child or student to that level,\u201d the minister said. \u201cIt should not be about divisive issues. It should be about student achievement. Full stop. We\u2019re not policing what valedictorians say in their speeches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles slammed the government for trying to politicize graduation ceremonies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are saying to students explicitly that you know you\u2019re going to be muzzled if you want to speak out against our government. And I think that\u2019s unacceptable, and that is not the place and completely inappropriate for the Minister of Education,\u201d Stiles said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the minister knows he has overstepped, and now he\u2019s trying to lash out at everybody else,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
CCLA concerned<\/p>\n
In a statement on Tuesday, the CCLA criticized Calandra\u2019s directive, calling it a \u201csweeping limitation on the expressive rights of students, educators and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExpression should not be censored by governments, school boards, or schools solely because it is political in nature or could be perceived as divisive,\u201d CCLA fundamental freedoms director Ana\u00efs Bussi\u00e8res McNicoll said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical speech plays a unique role in our society, enabling individuals to participate in public discourse, express dissent, and hold those in power accountable. These are precisely the skills and habits of mind we expect our education system to cultivate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The CCLA also took issue with the second part of Calandra\u2019s letter about the \u201cunequivocal expectation\u201d that school staff uphold the highest professional and ethical standards.<\/p>\n
The minister wrote that using social media to promote violence is \u201cunacceptable\u201d as well as any form of racist commentary, stereotyping or the use of inappropriate or derogatory language.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndividuals employed within publicly funded education systems are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the trust placed in them. Their actions and public statements carry consequences and have a direct impact on the integrity of our institutions and the communities we serve,\u201d Calandra wrote in the letter.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the minister pointed out that a high-ranking official at a Northern Ontario school board allegedly posted on TikTok suggesting the assassination of the U.S. president.<\/p>\n