Canadian parents don’t want schools to push students into political activism

Field trips are often the highlight of a child’s school experience. But a recent “field trip” in downtown Toronto was memorable for all the wrong reasons, highlighting the disconnect between a government school board pushing kids into political activism and the strong parental preference that schools eschew political bias.

Last week, several schools in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) sent their students to a day of action by the people of Grassy Narrows First Nation, ostensibly so students could listen to the speeches and learn about mercury contamination in rivers.

While the permission letter that went home to parents stated that students would not take part in the protest, video footage and eyewitness testimony tell a different story. And the protest morphed into geopolitical issue far from downtown Toronto. Not only were students encouraged to chant anti-Israel slogans such as “From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime,” but pictures from the event show students carrying handmade protest signs amid a heavy police presence.

Children as young as eight participated. No matter what one thinks about the current Israel/Hamas conflict, most people agree that eight-year-old kids are not old enough to comprehend the complex issues behind it. At the very least, they should not be coopted into a political protest, especially something so potentially volatile it requires a heavy police presence.

When the TDSB apologized, the vice-president of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto union local said the apology was racist, amounted to the board not standing with teachers and children, and said the organizations that expressed concern (namely, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center) were “spying on our children.”

Perhaps inconveniently for some, “our children” in this case belong to their parents, and those parents did not provide informed consent. Ontario Education Minister Jill Dunlop has ordered an investigation into the field trip. But clearly, by allowing its schools to participate, the TDSB has demonstrated once again that it has lost sight of what should be the primary focus of every school—teaching and learning.

Students attend school to learn how to read, write and do math. They should also learn about the history of our country, form good character and civic responsibility, develop an understanding of science, and gain an appreciation for music and art. These are things that all parents, regardless of political affiliation, can agree upon.

The moment any government public school departs from these common goals, they risk losing the trust of parents.

Indeed, a 2024 Leger poll (commissioned by the Fraser Institute) found that 76 per cent of parents of K-12 kids in Canada believe students should hear both sides of controversial issues, or they should be avoided entirely.

Another 91 per cent of parents believe classroom material and discussions should always be age-appropriate, and 81 per cent believe schools should provide advance notice if controversial topics are discussed during class or formal school activities.

In this case, the TDSB field trip respected none of these strong parental preferences.

Of course, if students or families wish to get involved in protests on their own time, that’s perfectly fine. And students should be allowed to write about the Middle East conflict for their English essay assignments and talk about these issues in class, so long as teachers ensure that the discussion remains balanced and parents receive a heads-up.

Finally, this fiasco underscores the importance of school choice. In Ontario, no portion of parents’ tax dollars follow their kids to the school of their choice, unlike in other provinces including Manitoba where independent schools are more accessible to families of all income levels. If Ontario families can’t afford full tuition at an independent school, their kids likely attend the local government public school, like those within the TDSB.

If the Ontario government helped fund independent schools, more families could afford them and those independent schools would be accountable to those families. And with increased competition for students, TDSB administrators might listen more to parental concerns about political bias.

Canadian parents are right—no school should ever push students into political activism. Education must be about academics, not activism.

Author:

Michael Zwaagstra

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute

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Red Deer Student honoured with Chief Youth Courage Award

Published on June 10, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

When you meet Brayden Chenier, a Grade 8 student at GH Dawe School, it’s clear why he’s been chosen to represent youth across Alberta. Brayden is the proud recipient of the Integrated School Support Program Provincial (ISSP) Chief Youth Courage Award, presented by the Calgary Police Youth Foundation, in recognition of his resilience, leadership and commitment to his community.

The award celebrates students who demonstrate courage and dedication to becoming a responsible and caring citizen, especially within a diverse school and community, and was presented earlier this spring at the Calgary Police Awards Gala. As part of the honour, Brayden will now serve as a youth ambassador, helping to raise awareness about child and youth crime prevention, education, and intervention programs across the province.

“It’s pretty surreal that I will be all over the province for a year,” said Brayden. “I am looking forward to helping out in the community.”

Brayden has been part of the ISSP program through GH Dawe School since 2023 and has benefited greatly from the support offered.

With the support of the mental health professional, Brayden has been able to successfully navigate a variety of challenges in his life including coming to terms with his disability and navigating a tragic loss in his life.

Born with clubfoot, Brayden has never let his physical disability stand in his way. He is an avid athlete in a number of sports including hockey, basketball, golf, track, volleyball and soccer. His goal is working towards becoming an athlete in the Paralympics.

Brayden was nominated by GH Dawe School Counsellor Amy Johansson, who described him as a compassionate, kind, hardworking, and honest person who is driven and motivated to be his very best at all that he attempts.

She added that within the GH Dawe School community, Brayden is a highly respected citizen by all students and staff. “He is highly committed to sports connected to our school, as well as sports outside of our school community. Brayden works diligently at his academics. And is so very helpful and caring, always. Brayden works to overcome a list of things that he will not allow to hold him back.”

GH Dawe School is part of Alberta’s Integrated School Support Program – a child wellness initiative aimed at improving academic performance and the overall well-being of students. The program supports schools like GH Dawe with services to meet the diverse needs of students and families.

As he takes on his role as a provincial ambassador, Brayden continues to be a role model for his peers and a reminder of the power of perseverance and community support.

Alberta

Too Graphic For A Press Conference But Fine For Kids In School?

Published on June 8, 2025

Todayville

From the Frontier Centre for Public Policy

By Lee Harding

Alberta moves to remove books after disturbing content, too graphic for media to view, was found in schools

Should elementary school children be given books to read with harsh insults against minorities, depictions of oral sex, and other disturbingly graphic and explicit content?

Such books have been in some Alberta elementary schools for a while, and in many school libraries across Canada.

In late May, the Alberta government announced it would establish new guidelines regarding age-appropriate materials in its schools. A government press release included quotes with disturbing content, but at a press conference, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said some book illustrations could not be shown.

“I would show these images to all of you here and to the media, but they are too graphic for a live-stream media event. These examples … illustrate the kind of content that raises concerns amongst parents,” Nicolaides said.

You don’t say? This seems like the sort of stuff no one, except a pervert in a park, would dream of showing to a child. Ironically, the inability to publicize such graphic materials is part of the reason they have been shown to children with little public awareness.

Citizens’ group Action4Canada (A4C) has claimed its activism played a pivotal role in the Alberta decision. The organization has compiled a 36-page document online with examples of objectionable content in Canadian schools. Among the worst is Identical by Ellen Hopkins, which includes graphic descriptions of a little girl being molested by her father.

A4C founder Tanya Gaw has repeatedly tried to raise concerns about objectionable books with school boards, often without success. In some cases, she isn’t even allowed on the agenda if she states her topic upfront. When she is permitted to speak, she’s frequently cut off as soon as she begins quoting from the books, preventing the content from entering the public record.

In January 2023, Gaw made an online presentation to a school board in Mission, B.C. regarding materials in their schools. As she began to screenshare what was there, some board members objected, saying such permission had not been given in advance.

One month later, the board banned Action4Canada from making any further presentations. In later media interviews, the board chair justified the decision by saying Gaw’s PowerPoint contained some graphic and “inappropriate images.”

Exactly, and that is the problem. A recent check showed Mission’s school division only removed four of 15 books A4C objected to. Gaw is just glad “Identical” is one of them.

Pierre Barns, a father from Abbotsford, B.C., made it his mission to notify school boards across Canada what was on their school shelves. An online search was all it took to confirm. A “reply all” from a board member at the Halton School District in Ontario was most ironic.

“I am concerned. This individual has included links to publications and videos which may contain illegal content,” she wrote.

“I’m not sure how to investigate the content of the email safely. Would you please advise us whether or not this person ought to be reported to police? Is there some action we should take?”

There probably was action they should have taken, such as removing the books, but that never happened. Later, they defended a biologically male teacher in their school division who made international headlines by wearing large prosthetic breasts to school.

The Alberta government has committed to conducting public consultations before implementing new policies. It’s a good time for parents and citizens there and in other provinces to speak up. A young mind is a terrible thing to corrupt, but unfortunately, some schools are part of this corrosive effort.

Lee Harding is a research fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.