Ontario teachers’ union recruiting writers for “anti-Palestinian racism” resource

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario is asking educators with “lived experience” to help develop a new resource on “anti-Palestinian racism.”

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario is asking educators with “lived experience” to help develop a new resource on “anti-Palestinian racism.”

The posting, issued through the union’s Equity and Women’s Services division, says the project is meant to help teachers “address anti-Palestinian racism, affirm Palestinian identity, and teach about Palestinian history.”

The ETFO represents about 83,000 public elementary teachers across Ontario, making it one of the largest education unions in the country. Its reach extends into nearly every public elementary school through professional development, training, and classroom resources.

The call for writers comes after Toronto District School Board trustees voted 15–7 to recognize “anti-Palestinian racism” as a category of hate.

The board’s motion was based on a framework written by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association in 2022. That document defines anti-Palestinian racism as actions that “silence, exclude, erase, stereotype, defame, or dehumanize Palestinians or their narratives.”

The ACLA report describes the term as distinct from Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism. The group said the framework was created after consultations with community members, lawyers, and academics.

The ETFO has supported several political and ideological initiatives in recent years. Its 2024–25 policy book directs teachers to integrate “trans-positive content” into all subjects, stating that staff should promote social justice activism in every area of instruction.

At its annual awards ceremony earlier this year, the union recognized more than a dozen teachers for work in anti-racism, equity, and social justice but did not issue awards for classroom excellence in math, science, or literacy. The union said the awards honoured “outstanding contributions” to education.

In October, the ETFO hosted a leadership conference offering a workshop on how art can be used as “a tool of resistance, identity and joy.” The session was open only to “racialized members.” Union documents describe such programs as professional learning, meaning participants can receive paid release time from teaching to attend.

An educator who spoke to True North said this practice excludes members based on race and creates division among teachers. They questioned how these events align with Ontario’s Human Rights Code, which prohibits discrimination in union programs or membership benefits.

Union policy has also expanded beyond the classroom. The ETFO delegates voted last year to begin developing resources on anti-Palestinian racism for elementary teachers. The motion received 71 per cent support at the union’s annual general meeting.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs warned that such initiatives “risk conflating political debate about Israel with racism,” saying that teaching resources related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict may fall outside the union’s mandate.

The CIJA also stated that the ETFO had “no authority to develop or mandate educational materials” on the issue and warned the initiative goes “well beyond the scope of the Ontario Human Rights Code.”

The ETFO’s 2023 financial report shows the union holds assets of more than $300 million, including a $180 million defence fund used for legal and political campaigns. The union’s public materials describe this fund as essential to protecting members’ rights and supporting “equity and justice in education.”

Ontario’s Education Act outlines that school boards are responsible for delivering curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education. Teacher unions operate separately, responsible for bargaining, working conditions, and professional support.

The Ministry has not responded to a request for comment on whether the development of union-led classroom resources on contentious political issues aligns with ministry policies.

The new anti-Palestinian racism project is the latest in a series of union initiatives promoting equity and social justice frameworks across Ontario’s education system. The selected contributors will be notified in mid-November and will begin writing next month.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario has not responded to a request for comment.