Toronto (December 7, 2021) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is calling on Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustees to take a stand against the unjust targeting of a Jewish trustee and vote against censuring her for speaking out against antisemitism.

A vote will be held during a Board meeting on Wednesday in response to an investigation report published last week by the TDSB Office of the Integrity Commissioner, which recommended Trustee Alexandra Lulka’s censure following two complaints alleging discrimination in response to her statement on Twitter in which she condemned antisemitic materials that were sent to teachers by a TDSB employee earlier this year.

The Integrity Commissioner report revealed that a prior investigation by the TDSB Human Rights Office (HRO) into the materials determined that a number of resources included in the materials contained antisemitic content, including support for “the use of violence and terrorism against Israeli Jews.” Despite these findings by the HRO, Trustee Lulka is being wrongfully punished for rightfully condemning the materials that promoted antisemitism and terrorism.

FSWC has sent a letter to TDSB trustees, urging they reject the outrageous conclusion drawn by the Integrity Commissioner.

"We remain alarmed by the fact that Trustee Lulka has become the target of an investigation and possible censure for criticizing antisemitic materials circulated within the TDSB when the staff member responsible for disseminating those materials has faced no consequences whatsoever," the letter reads. "At this moment of rising Jew-hatred in Canada, the impact of this flawed process and investigation will only embolden perpetrators of antisemitism while making those who wish to confront antisemitism fearful of doing so. This is absolutely unacceptable."

Read letter to TDSB trustees
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Join us in calling on the TDSB to reject the unfair censure of Trustee Alexandra Lulka and to stand against antisemitism. Act now by sending a personal note to your local trustee directly.

Contact local TDSB trustee

We also urge you to attend the virtual TDSB meeting tomorrow to show your support for Trustee Lulka.