TORONTO -- No alarm bells went off when the government heard the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario was planning to hold a workshop on "white privilege," Education Minister Liz Sandals said Thursday.
"It's really up to ETFO to decide what seminars they're going to do," she said. "They're an independent organization and they will have a look at what courses they're teaching I'm sure."
The teacher's union, with 76,000 members, has a posting on its website looking for presenters for a workshop called "Re-thinking White Privilege," but without any definition for the term.
It asks only that candidates understand "white privilege and systemic issues," and have a commitment to equity and social justice.
"There's lots of things that unions do that I don't necessarily agree with, but ... they have a right to their own path," said Sandals.
Teachers do need to learn about the diverse backgrounds and cultural differences of students in Ontario schools, added Sandals, who appeared uncomfortable with the term "white privilege."
"Getting away from the title of the course, it is important that we have teachers who are sensitive to the fact that there are children who come to our schools from all around the world," she said. "I don't know what's in this particular course, but the need to address diversity is a real need."
However, Sandals ducked the question when asked if children of new Canadians should be taught that the white kids in their classes are privileged.
"I can't comment on content that I didn't do," she said. "My job as minister of education is to make sure that we have schools in which kids from all backgrounds, and that includes everyone, feel safe and secure."
ETFO president Sam Hammond was expected to disclose more details about the "white privilege" workshop later Thursday.
Members of ETFO who want to present the "Re-thinking White Privilege" workshop have until Friday to submit their ideas for the program.
