Ontario families file human rights complaints against York school board over allegations of racism

By David Shum
Global News | December 2, 2016

A community group representing seven Ontario families have filed a human rights complaint against the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) on Friday over its inability to properly address incidents of Islamophobia and systemic racism within the institution’s ranks.

“The culture that exists relies on the code of protecting their system even if that system is negatively affecting our children,” Vaughan African Canadian Association (VACA) Executive Director Shernett Martin told reporters at a news conference Friday morning in Toronto.

“Staff cover for each other, defend each other, ignore criticism and fail to follow up on community concerns in order to protect the reputation of the board.”

. . .

“We have to acknowledge that we have heard an increasing sense of fear among parents and their guardians if they speak up about human rights violations,” National Council of Canadian Muslims board member Abbas Kassam told reporters on Friday.

“The level of fear we are hearing from families is crippling. There can be no trust in the presence of such fear. There’s no public confidence if there is no trust.”

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