The district college authority in Canada’s largest metropolis Toronto unanimously adopted a program towards Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.
“We have heard directly from our communities and have the data to show that Islamophobia continues to impact our students and staff on a regular basis,” the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Chair Rachel Chernos Lin mentioned in an announcement in regards to the vote.
“By taking a focused approach to confronting Islamophobia, we enable more members of our school communities to feel safe and welcome at school and work.”
The board serves roughly 235,000 college students in Grades 7 to 12, and roughly one in 5 determine as Muslim.
The subsequent step is for the board to develop and enact this system. No timetable was launched for its implementation, however the board will seek the advice of with teams to garner concepts to incorporate within the technique.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) – Canada’s largest Muslim advocacy group – welcomed the news.
“Islamophobic incidents have been on the rise across the country in recent years,” NCCM mentioned in a news launch. “This includes inside our classrooms in Toronto and beyond. It is time that our leaders implemented a real anti-Islamophobia strategy to help protect our kids. Muslim students should not have to worry about their safety and survival in our classrooms and schools.”
“Studies and reports on the lived experiences of Muslim students in Canadian school systems tell us that Islamophobia exists in many ways,” the NCCM mentioned. “It is a real step in the right direction in the TDSB’s commitment to equity and inclusion.”
The Toronto board is the second to undertake a method to battle Islamophobia. In January, the Peel District School Board, which is simply northwest of Toronto, grew to become the primary college board in Canada to vote to arrange and implement an anti-Islamophobia technique.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
