Toronto Restricts Academic Freedom: ‘Israeli Apartheid Week’ Not Permitted to Take Place
Aletho / Aletho
12-Mar-2010

Last week, Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Director of
Education Chris Spence announced in a statement that “‘Israeli Apartheid
Week’ and its activities are not permitted to take place on school or
Board property, or as part of any activity under the jurisdiction of the
TDSB.” Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
considers this announcement a clear attempt to discourage rational
discussion of the constellation of issues addressed by Israeli Apartheid
Week (IAW), and therefore considers it an unacceptable restriction on
the academic freedom that should be enjoyed by the TDSB’s community.

Spence’s announcement came on the heels of a motion on IAW
introduced by Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman which condemned the use of the
term Israeli Apartheid Week; that motion was passed by 30 members of
the Ontario Legislature on February 25. Shurman’s motion had no legal
weight, and stopped short of actually urging that IAW activities
themselves be prohibited. Spence’s statement, however, went further by
prohibiting IAW activities at TDSB schools. It thereby limits the
discussion of Middle East issues – of vital interest to TDSB students
and their families and meriting informed and open debate – within public
education institutions.

“This is a disturbing precedent on several counts,” notes CJPME
President Thomas Woodley.... >>>

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