A Toronto high school broadcast O Canada in Arabic on the morning of the second anniversary of the Hamas Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel that left more than 1,200 people dead.
Globaly speaking, our world is not in a very good place right now. Nationally speaking, we are busy fighting to keep our jobs and remind our children that there is a life after Trump. Provincialy , there are several areas in our cities that are simply not safe. Car jackings, houses being shot at,and lack of mental health care facilities are just a few of the countless, continuous issues at hand.
The good news is that the teachers ,administrators and parents in our schools have fought hard to endeavor that our students have a safe zone: It is in these schools where children from all backgrounds have mutual respect for one another, where breakfast is available ,where teachers and students alike can learn together and in addition take part in many of the extra curricular activities available.
Just the other day, I had a discussion with my students evolving around the importance of keeping positive and to focus on the things they can change.Many
of these students have emigrated from other countries and are in the midst of just trying to figure out how to " live in Canada "
The choice to play Canada's National Anthem in Arabic in a public school on October 7 was beyond insensitive. It goes against everything that we continually convey to our students on a daily basis. Although it cannot be undone, the TDSB has a mandatory duty to discover how this could have happened. I have taught at Earl Haig. This school is known for it's exemplary academic and extra curricular programs.This is an aberration of collosal proportions. Imagine what our schools would be like if politically sensitive statements etc. were broadcasted over the P.A. systems on a daily basis.THOSE RESPONSIBLE MUST BE MADE TO MAKE REPARATIONS. THIS STOPS NOW!!! Have a wonderful evening, fellow Canadians.
Thank you for the thoughtful post. Sadly, Canadians don't know how to live in Canada anymore so how can new arrivals? This is something we need to grapple with in short order.
Safe unless you are white, male, straight, jewish or christian. Then it is terrifying. Anyine can attack you with very little consequence if any ar all. If you like america or Trump, lookout! You're toast!
You know how to stop "mistakes" like this from happening? Play the CANADIAN national anthem in one of the two official language of Canada. Problem solved.
The national anthem in other languages is still Canadian. We should be able to represent every community in our country in our national anthem, which the school was trying to do. Trying to take away this right is a form of racism. While I agree that the choice to play the anthem in Arabic today was an unfortunate one, I also strongly believe that it is not a problem but a statement that every language is welcome in our country and anthem. Please read my above comment if you would like more information on the reality of the situation.
There is no "right" to have our national anthem played in any language other than the official languages of Canada. Nor is there an obligation to represent every community in our country. It is not racist to privilege Canadian culture IN Canada. What creates true community is a shared language and culture, while pandering to every community dilutes Canadian culture and creates divisions. A country can be multi-racial but it can't be multi-cultural if it is to maintain its identity.
I'm a resident of Mexico and live there part of the year. I'm learning Spanish and have no expectations that Mexico will provide me with everything in English. It can be loud -- Mexicans love their fiestas and their fireworks. It's up to me to fit into their culture, not impose mine onto them. It's called being respectful.
I am a student at Earl Haig Secondary School and I would like make a few clarifications. The students who do the announcements every morning were given a folder of many different languages in which to share the national anthem. The students on the announcements wanted to showcase our school's multiculturalism by playing the national anthem in the array of different languages present at our school, such as English, Arabic, Italian, and Mandarin. They have been cycling through them, and today's choice of Arabic was a badly-timed coincidence. I can assure you that no hate or racism was intended. This incident was no one's fault, and no one should be fired over this mistake. I agree that it was an unfortunate oversight, but I also think it is important to recognize that the students who chose to play the anthem in Arabic had no ill intent whatsoever.
Thank you for responding. While it can be seen that way, I also don't think the staff member is entirely to blame. They trusted their students to choose an anthem, and the students unfortunately happened to choose one that ended up holding more meaning than they meant for it to. It isn't the staff member's fault, as they should not be expected to look over the shoulders of these young adults as they do the announcements every morning. I really do believe this whole incident was a badly-timed accident.
If - and it's a big if - students were responsible for this act of sadistic cruelty, they must be held to account. They are high school students and capable of taking responsibility and experiencing consequences for sadistic, hateful antisemitism.
Your language belies your claim to be a student at Earl Haig. You are throwing shade for bad actors and trying to create an excuse for sadistic, hateful behaviour. These sorts of bad acts have consequences, including maximum psychological damage to Jews at Earl Haig. You don't seem to care about them - you have not mentioned them even once. You only care that whoever made the decision to broadcast the anthem in Arabic today not get into any trouble for their sadistic, hateful disdain for the well-being of Jewish students at Earl Haig. Our schools must not ever excuse such cruelty.
Great, because of that you have idiot politicians and the usual Twitter idiots screaming for the person responsible for this to be fired, everyone doing so before Earl Haig School had a chance to offer an explanation, and apologise. Whoops! Anyway, I'm glad I read your post. Keep spreading the word so this silly thing dies down ASAP.
An apology is not enough. I want whoever is responsible to write an essay about the 10/723 slaughter of innocents from the point of view of the victims - without so much as a mention of the perpetrators point of view - and publish it on the school's website.
1) You identify yourself as "a student" but you could be anyone; why should we believe you are who you claim to be? 2) You are naive if you believe this was not intentional. Of course it was. 3) There are Jewish students at Earl Haig; why aren't you broadcasting the anthem in Hebrew as well as in English, Arabic, Italian and Mandarin? Not exactly inclusive, as you claim, and I don't believe you in any event. 4) If a student made this sadistic choice, that student should be required to write an account of the 10/7 slaughter of innocents from the point of view of the victims, without a peep of sympathy for the perpetrators, and publish it on the Earl Haig school website. 5) I don't believe your account.
Globaly speaking, our world is not in a very good place right now. Nationally speaking, we are busy fighting to keep our jobs and remind our children that there is a life after Trump. Provincialy , there are several areas in our cities that are simply not safe. Car jackings, houses being shot at,and lack of mental health care facilities are just a few of the countless, continuous issues at hand.
The good news is that the teachers ,administrators and parents in our schools have fought hard to endeavor that our students have a safe zone: It is in these schools where children from all backgrounds have mutual respect for one another, where breakfast is available ,where teachers and students alike can learn together and in addition take part in many of the extra curricular activities available.
Just the other day, I had a discussion with my students evolving around the importance of keeping positive and to focus on the things they can change.Many
of these students have emigrated from other countries and are in the midst of just trying to figure out how to " live in Canada "
The choice to play Canada's National Anthem in Arabic in a public school on October 7 was beyond insensitive. It goes against everything that we continually convey to our students on a daily basis. Although it cannot be undone, the TDSB has a mandatory duty to discover how this could have happened. I have taught at Earl Haig. This school is known for it's exemplary academic and extra curricular programs.This is an aberration of collosal proportions. Imagine what our schools would be like if politically sensitive statements etc. were broadcasted over the P.A. systems on a daily basis.THOSE RESPONSIBLE MUST BE MADE TO MAKE REPARATIONS. THIS STOPS NOW!!! Have a wonderful evening, fellow Canadians.
Thank you for the thoughtful post. Sadly, Canadians don't know how to live in Canada anymore so how can new arrivals? This is something we need to grapple with in short order.
Safe unless you are white, male, straight, jewish or christian. Then it is terrifying. Anyine can attack you with very little consequence if any ar all. If you like america or Trump, lookout! You're toast!
You know how to stop "mistakes" like this from happening? Play the CANADIAN national anthem in one of the two official language of Canada. Problem solved.
The national anthem in other languages is still Canadian. We should be able to represent every community in our country in our national anthem, which the school was trying to do. Trying to take away this right is a form of racism. While I agree that the choice to play the anthem in Arabic today was an unfortunate one, I also strongly believe that it is not a problem but a statement that every language is welcome in our country and anthem. Please read my above comment if you would like more information on the reality of the situation.
There is no "right" to have our national anthem played in any language other than the official languages of Canada. Nor is there an obligation to represent every community in our country. It is not racist to privilege Canadian culture IN Canada. What creates true community is a shared language and culture, while pandering to every community dilutes Canadian culture and creates divisions. A country can be multi-racial but it can't be multi-cultural if it is to maintain its identity.
I'm a resident of Mexico and live there part of the year. I'm learning Spanish and have no expectations that Mexico will provide me with everything in English. It can be loud -- Mexicans love their fiestas and their fireworks. It's up to me to fit into their culture, not impose mine onto them. It's called being respectful.
Hi,
I am a student at Earl Haig Secondary School and I would like make a few clarifications. The students who do the announcements every morning were given a folder of many different languages in which to share the national anthem. The students on the announcements wanted to showcase our school's multiculturalism by playing the national anthem in the array of different languages present at our school, such as English, Arabic, Italian, and Mandarin. They have been cycling through them, and today's choice of Arabic was a badly-timed coincidence. I can assure you that no hate or racism was intended. This incident was no one's fault, and no one should be fired over this mistake. I agree that it was an unfortunate oversight, but I also think it is important to recognize that the students who chose to play the anthem in Arabic had no ill intent whatsoever.
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, a staff member is meant to oversee. That staff member didn't do their job.
Thank you for responding. While it can be seen that way, I also don't think the staff member is entirely to blame. They trusted their students to choose an anthem, and the students unfortunately happened to choose one that ended up holding more meaning than they meant for it to. It isn't the staff member's fault, as they should not be expected to look over the shoulders of these young adults as they do the announcements every morning. I really do believe this whole incident was a badly-timed accident.
Adults who are responsible for minors should always be held accountable due to the position of trust they hold.
If - and it's a big if - students were responsible for this act of sadistic cruelty, they must be held to account. They are high school students and capable of taking responsibility and experiencing consequences for sadistic, hateful antisemitism.
Me thinks you doth protest too much!
Your language belies your claim to be a student at Earl Haig. You are throwing shade for bad actors and trying to create an excuse for sadistic, hateful behaviour. These sorts of bad acts have consequences, including maximum psychological damage to Jews at Earl Haig. You don't seem to care about them - you have not mentioned them even once. You only care that whoever made the decision to broadcast the anthem in Arabic today not get into any trouble for their sadistic, hateful disdain for the well-being of Jewish students at Earl Haig. Our schools must not ever excuse such cruelty.
Great, because of that you have idiot politicians and the usual Twitter idiots screaming for the person responsible for this to be fired, everyone doing so before Earl Haig School had a chance to offer an explanation, and apologise. Whoops! Anyway, I'm glad I read your post. Keep spreading the word so this silly thing dies down ASAP.
An apology is not enough. I want whoever is responsible to write an essay about the 10/723 slaughter of innocents from the point of view of the victims - without so much as a mention of the perpetrators point of view - and publish it on the school's website.
Ridiculous.
1) You identify yourself as "a student" but you could be anyone; why should we believe you are who you claim to be? 2) You are naive if you believe this was not intentional. Of course it was. 3) There are Jewish students at Earl Haig; why aren't you broadcasting the anthem in Hebrew as well as in English, Arabic, Italian and Mandarin? Not exactly inclusive, as you claim, and I don't believe you in any event. 4) If a student made this sadistic choice, that student should be required to write an account of the 10/7 slaughter of innocents from the point of view of the victims, without a peep of sympathy for the perpetrators, and publish it on the Earl Haig school website. 5) I don't believe your account.