Read on Twitter
Peel District School Board: a thread. The issues at PDSB have really surfaced to the top of the agenda again recently, so I thought I would share a brief recap of events between October 2019 and April 2020 for those just coming to the story now.
In October 2019, Trustee William Davies came out and publicly acknowledged a racially insensitive comment he had made the previous April. The comment had been raised at an August PDSB meeting, but October was the first admittance by Davies.
https://thepointer.com/article/2019-10-16/update-peel-school-trustee-apologizes-for-racially-charged-remark-that-acting-chair-denied-was-ever-made
https://thepointer.com/article/2019-10-16/update-peel-school-trustee-apologizes-for-racially-charged-remark-that-acting-chair-denied-was-ever-made
One month later, an investigation by the board's integrity commissioner cleared him of wrongdoing, instead crticing Trustee K McDonald, a vocal advocate for the Black community. The report heightened tensions between the board and community further.
https://thepointer.com/article/2019-11-20/pdsb-in-racially-charged-chaos-as-trustees-slam-report-clearing-colleague-over-mccriminal-remark
https://thepointer.com/article/2019-11-20/pdsb-in-racially-charged-chaos-as-trustees-slam-report-clearing-colleague-over-mccriminal-remark
In the interim, between the integrity commissioner's report and Davies admitting the comment was made, the province stepped in. In an unprecedented announcement, @Sflecce said he would investigate PDSB, looking into anti-Black racism and discrimination.
https://thepointer.com/article/2019-11-08/province-stepping-in-to-deal-with-allegations-of-systemic-anti-black-racism-within-peel-district-school-board
https://thepointer.com/article/2019-11-08/province-stepping-in-to-deal-with-allegations-of-systemic-anti-black-racism-within-peel-district-school-board
In the background, while these various other things were taking place, the board's Associate Director Equity and Instruction Pauline Grewal took PDSB Director Peter Joshua and the organization to court for discrimination. https://thepointer.com/article/2019-10-31/associate-director-of-peel-district-school-board-files-damning-discrimination-based-human-rights-complaint-against-director-and-the-board
Finally, in March, the province handed down its review of PDSB. It was damning and codified the shocking stories parents had been telling for years. It included 27 binding actions the board had to take.
https://thepointer.com/article/2020-03-13/province-hands-down-damning-indictment-of-pdsb-in-probe-of-systemic-anti-black-behaviour
https://thepointer.com/article/2020-03-13/province-hands-down-damning-indictment-of-pdsb-in-probe-of-systemic-anti-black-behaviour
One of those directives was to issue an apology, something PDSB officially did roughly one month later. The apology admitted to systemic problems of racism within the organization. https://thepointer.com/article/2020-04-17/pdsb-truly-sorry-for-anti-black-behaviour-by-the-board
However, the board's success in adhering to its 27 directives was short lived. Following an April 15 board meeting, Trustees @NokhaDakroub and @TrusteeMcDonald pulled out of mediation.
(This story is free to view due to its importance to the community). https://thepointer.com/article/2020-04-28/despite-pdsb-s-admission-of-harm-it-s-done-to-black-students-mediation-breaks-down-two-trustees-call-for-province-to-step-in-again
(This story is free to view due to its importance to the community). https://thepointer.com/article/2020-04-28/despite-pdsb-s-admission-of-harm-it-s-done-to-black-students-mediation-breaks-down-two-trustees-call-for-province-to-step-in-again
On Tuesday, the province stepped up the heat, sending an investigator to look into inaction by the board and make sure PDSB met its 27 directives. https://thepointer.com/article/2020-04-28/queen-s-park-sending-in-investigator-to-examine-pdsb-after-board-fails-to-move-forward-on-directives-to-end-anti-black-discrimination
https://twitter.com/isaaccallan/status/1255886760413933578?s=21 https://twitter.com/isaaccallan/status/1255886760413933578
Given the response to this thread, I am going to keep adding our coverage below so there is one place to go for the latest. Yesterday, @JoeljWittnebel, @sangrewal1 and I recorded a podcast discussing this issue thus far. Have a listen. http://www.buzzsprout.com/460444/3573433-35-head-of-the-beast-needs-to-be-cut-off-time-to-show-pdsb-s-leaders-the-door
This week, the Ontario NDP (and opposition) joined criticism of PDSB, calling for even stronger directives for the board to follow. Several MPPs expressed a lack of confidence in the current board. https://thepointer.com/article/2020-05-01/ndp-says-pdsb-leaders-who-have-harmed-black-students-can-t-be-trusted-to-hold-themselves-accountable
