Racist hate mail sent to black Toronto Public School Teachers raises alarms

BY PAUL JUNOR

As the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) continues its search for a Director of Education, the release of its first Human Rights Report and the creation of an anti-black racism course there is now a racist backlash. CBC News reported on Monday, February 22^nd, 2021 that on February 17^th, 2021, four TDSB teachers were sent a racist letter. It was delivered to Newtonbrook Secondary School in an envelope with no return address. There was a Toronto Star article inside the envelope in which the words,” The n _ _ _ s have taken over the school system,” and “If you disagree you’re racist. If a black student fails the teacher is racist “ were spelled out. The letter continues with hateful comments with respect to black boys and the education system.

The letter prompted a quick response from the TDSB as it came in the midst of its annual Black History Month Celebrations. Shari Schwartz-Maltz, TDSB spokesperson told CBC News, “All of us were appalled, disgusted and extremely upset when we found out about this situation.”

Staff at the school has been informed, and a letter was sent home to parents. There is currently an investigation by the Central North District Criminal Investigation Branch and the hate crimes unit. Shari Schwartz-Maltz told the Toronto Star on February 23^rd, 2021 that there has been a meeting of principals and superintendents with TDSB equity representatives immediately after the teacher received the hate mail.

D.Tyler Robinson, co-author and project lead of the new anti-black racism course responded to the hate mail. He told CBC News, “There’s a responsibility to take a stance on the academic outcomes and achievements of black kids and Indigenous kids. They are Ontario’s kids and we need to support them.” He hopes that the province will allow this course to be taught throughout Ontario. He states, “The province is too busy working on the symptoms of anti-black racism when one course is working on the root cause. We need them to stand with us for this course and not centre whiteness when speaking about deconstructing racism.”   

D.Tyler knows that this incident will bring attention to the issue of anti-black racism in Canada. He states, “A lot of people act like this kind of stuff doesn’t happen in Canada and that it’s an American curse. I don’t think it’s someone in the States getting a copy of the Star who sent this to us. It’s been clear we have this problem in our country too.”

The reality of overt racism is something that D.Tyler knows that can be confronted directly instead of covert racism, which is more subtle and insidious. He states, “Sometimes racism is obvious and it’s sad and it’s the covert racism, the hidden and elusive stuff that you can’t put your finger on that’s harder to deal with.” It is important that the conversation on racism be broadened as D.Tyler notes, “Kids are not the issue, they want to learn and talk about racism. The problem is adults who have very fixed and narrow opinions on racism with their own sort of prejudices.”

Minister of Education, Stephen Leece responded to the racist hate mails and told CBC News, “We condemn this vile form of anti-black racism-it has no place in our province or country, especially during Black History Month. Our province celebrates black excellence, courage, and sacrifice and categorically rejects this hateful speech.” These are good words but concrete actions are urgently needed.