Ontario school board quietly publishes internal “Islamophobia” guide to staff

Ontario’s third-largest school board released a report via email guiding staff on how to support Muslim students and challenge Islamophobia.

Source: Flickr

By Melanie Bennet

Ontario’s third-largest school board released a report via email guiding staff on how to support Muslim students and challenge Islamophobia. The 39-page guide, produced in collaboration with the National Council of Canadian Muslims, has raised concerns from parents and policy experts about the growing influence of ideology and politics in schools.

The document was distributed to families via a third-party messaging platform this week. It was not made available on the board’s website as of publication, nor has the board issued a press release or included it in any official board meeting minutes reviewed by True North.

DDSB Guide to Support Muslim Students.pdf

The guide, developed with the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians and drafted by the NCCM, frames its mandate as “upholding the rights of Muslim communities,” and is written in the language of intersectionality, equity, and anti-oppression.

The report begins with a land acknowledgement and frames Indigenous rights as “distinct” from human rights and urges school staff to promote “culturally responsive” resources and recognize the role of systemic Islamophobia in shaping student experiences.

But the involvement of the NCCM—formerly known as CAIR-CAN has long claimed independence from its U.S. counterpart, the Council on American-Islamic Relations—has raised concerns from parents and policy experts.

A recent report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy alleges that the NCCM shares ideological and historical ties to CAIR-USA, which it described as ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood movement and associated entities like Hamas.

Another organization that the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy alleges is aligned with the Brotherhood has recently received degree-granting accreditation for the Canadian Islamic College.

“Genuine anti-Muslim prejudice should be rightfully condemned, but ‘Islamophobia’ is a political weapon, not a human rights concept,” Joe Adam George, a research analyst specializing in national security and foreign policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute told True North.

“The Muslim Brotherhood popularized the term after 9/11 to discredit criticism of Islamist ideology and legitimize acts of terrorism by falsely equating it with racism. This deceptive comparison lets Brotherhood-aligned groups claim victimhood, silence critics, and manipulate public discourse.”

The Muslim Brotherhood has been designated a terrorist organization by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Russia. In the United States, lawmakers have repeatedly introduced legislation to pursue a similar designation but it has not yet passed into law.

The NCCM’s stated mission is to advance civil liberties and civic engagement among Canadian Muslims. But its growing role in K–12 education—especially in developing equity and anti-racism materials—has prompted concern among some parents.

“Parents are deeply concerned that once again the board is partnering with advocacy groups accused of political or ideological affiliations,” said Jessica Street, spokesperson for DDSB Concerned Parents. “Public education must remain neutral, accountable to all families, and focused on students—not influenced by the agendas of outside organizations.”

In recent years, the NCCM has co-developed anti-Islamophobia strategies at several Ontario school boards, including Peel and Thames Valley.

In the Toronto District School Board, NCCM staff contributed to teacher training materials and helped facilitate a student conference attended by over 400 Muslim student leaders from 41 schools.

In Durham, the CASSA and the NCCM jointly led consultation sessions with students, families, and staff. Despite this engagement, the final guide was not posted on DDSB’s website.

Unlike similar strategies published by Peel and Thames Valley boards—and linked prominently on NCCM’s own site—Durham’s guide has not been made publicly accessible. True North found no references to it in board communications or social media.

The guide also encourages the use of NCCM’s online tool for reporting incidents in schools.

The NCCM has faced criticism for public claims around alleged hate crimes. In July, a Muslim restaurant owner had her hijab pulled off during an attack in Oshawa in an incident the NCCM described as “Islamophobic.” Police later stated there was no evidence of hate motivation, and no hate-related charges were laid. The NCCM has not retracted its original claims.

True North asked the DDSB and the Ontario Ministry of Education whether they were aware of NCCM’s affiliations and reporting practices when approving the partnership. Neither has responded.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims did not respond to a request for comment.

She noted that Canada is good at bringing qualified people to the country, but when these professionals arrive with the hope and expectation to practise their skills in Canada, they “encounter a labyrinth” that “squanders” their training and expertise.

“The core issue lies in the barriers to licensing. First, the pathways themselves are complex and fragmented. What seems straightforward on an immigration application becomes a maze of assessments, exams and bridging programs,” she said in her testimony. “A doctor trained abroad might spend years navigating equivalency requirements only to find their credentials outdated.”

She said the longer the licensing process, the more likely it is for them to lose their recency-of-practice requirements, forcing them to redo steps in the process, with no end in sight.

Liberal MP Sonya Sidhu asked Slawecki how the Liberals could attract more doctors to Canada. Slawecki suggested Sidhu was missing the point.

“I don’t know that the issue is ‘what do we need to do more to get them to come?’ I think the issue is that we have people already in the country who need support. Because they haven’t been adequately supported once they’re arriving and getting into the practice, we’re seeing these gaps.”

Conservatives haveconsistently revealed, throughout health committees over the last few months, that the Liberal government has failed to consult medical professionals when planning immigration policy.