The Ontario Ministry of Education has appointed a reviewer to look into the Toronto District School Board’s field trip policies after students were seen participating in a protest during a school outing last month.
The ministry announced on Friday the appointment of Patrick Case, who previously worked as its chief equity officer and assistant deputy minister of education equity and governance secretariat from 2017 to 2024.
“The safety and well-being of students should always come first in our classrooms. Publicly funded schools should never be used as vehicles of political protest, ideology or discrimination,” Minister of Education Jill Dunlop said in a statement.
“We have a responsibility to act when a school board fails to take appropriate action. Through this review, we are helping to ensure that schools across the province prioritize the health, safety and inclusion of all students and their learning environment.”
Case, who the ministry described as “the leading voice in education policy,” was also part of the 2017 review of the York Region District School Board following allegations of racism.
The ministry previously announced that it would investigate the Sept. 18 trip, claiming that the TDSB was not handling the matter properly.
An undisclosed number of students attended the Grassy Narrows River Run in downtown Toronto that day, a trip the school board said was meant to be an educational experience.
Videos later circulated online showing some young students taking part in the march and repeating the slogan, “From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime,” after it was shouted by someone who appeared to be a protest organizer.
Some parents told CTV News Toronto that they were misled and thought their children would only observe the demonstration.
The TDSB apologized and promised to review its field trip procedures.
“This review is a necessary step to address this pressing issue and examine where gaps may exist so that the TDSB can prevent such matters from occurring in the future,” the ministry said on Friday.
Case is expected to deliver a report of his review before the end of the year.
The ministry said based on that report, it “will determine the next steps to ensure TDSB classrooms are a safe place for students and staff, with a focus on learning, not politics.”
The school board previously said it would cooperate fully with the ministry’s investigation.
With files from CTV Toronto’s Alex Arsenych