Toronto District School Board reviewing field trip policy after students end up at protest

A field trip aimed at educating Toronto students about the plight of a northern Ontario First Nation ended with them taking part in a protest where pro-Palestinian slogans were shouted.

In a statement issued by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), the board said an undisclosed number of students attended the Grassy Narrows River Run on Wednesday, a march organized to highlight the mercury contamination within the First Nation. The march was scheduled to begin at Grange Park, near the Art Gallery of Ontario, and end at Queen’s Park.

Although the TDSB said the event was intended as an educational experience, videos circulating on social media show some young students taking part in the march and repeating the slogan, “From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime,” after it was shouted by someone who appears to be a protest organizer.

“The TDSB was not aware that students would engage with any issues outside of the main focus of the River Run and we apologize for the harm that some students may have experienced as a result,” the board said, adding that it is currently supporting impacted students and their families.

The board said that, in general, students should “not” be participating in organized protests as part of a field trip and that that guidance would be shared within the school system.

“The TDSB will also be reviewing its field trip procedures to provide guidance that upholds the safety and well-being of students,” the statement added.

Education Minister Jill Dunlop has since weighed in on the incident, saying she was “deeply disappointed” by Wednesday’s events.

“Compromising the security and safety of students is unacceptable,” she wrote. “I expect TDSB to conduct a thorough review of the situation and ensure accountability with parents and students to prevent future incidents.”

Meanwhile, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said the board should have foreseen the events that unfolded Wednesday and that "any rational calculation" would have led to the field trip's cancellation.

The board did not say which school or schools participated in the field trip.