John Malloy,

Director of Education

TorontoDistrict School Board

5050Yonge StreetToronto,Ontario M2N 5N8

Sentby email   john.malloy@tdsb.on.ca

October 2,2017

Dear Mr.  Malloy:

I reach out to you to share ourconcerns regarding the Islamic Heritage Month Resource Guidebook for Educators2017 (Guidebook). As a Canadian human rights organization dedicated to fosteringtolerance and understanding through community involvement, educational outreachand social action, we applaud the stated goal of the Guidebook to build onequity and inclusion by countering biases.

We were therefore dismayed oncarefully reviewing the Guidebook to see that the section listing the sects of Islam includes referenceto the group Nation of Islam when describing the movements associated withIslam.  The Nation of Islam is consideredto be a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Nation of Islamofficials have a documented history of antisemitic rhetoric including Holocaustdenial, exaggerating the role of Jews in the slavetrade and hateful conspiracy theories about Jewish control of the economy.  As well, a suggestedmorning announcement for students focuses on Malcolm X who was a key leader ofthe Nation of Islam.    While in aleadership role, Malcolm X was accused of making antisemitic remarks claimingthat Jews controlled the media and befriended the Black community for their ownulterior motives.  Such remarks have infact been posted on white nationalist websites.

Surely, such a person and the organizationhe once led are not appropriate role models to be promoted by the TorontoDistrict School Board during a month designed to celebrate diversity andpromote harmony with other faiths and cultures. We are seeing a movement across Canada to honestly lookback at history and to call out racism where ever it existed. We believethat all organizations seeking to reach our youth within our schools should beheld to the same standard of honest dialogue. Regardless of their religiousbackground, one who has been associated with antisemitic comments should not beheld up as a role model to your students.

Given these concerns, werespectfully ask you to pull the Guidebook pending a full review of itscontents to insure that diversity, inclusivity and equity are appropriately considered andreflected.  We would be pleased to meetwith you to discuss this matter further.

Sincerely,

Anita Bromberg