Toronto–The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) joins with others in the educational community in condemning the recent behavior of immigration officials in local Toronto schools.

“Our 50,000 secondary school teachers and educational workers were shocked and saddened to hear that students were forcibly removed from an elementary and secondary Catholic school,” said Rhonda Kimberley-Young, President of OSSTF. “This heavy handed approach by the federal government runs contrary to our belief that schools must be a safe haven for all students,” she said.

Educators have the primary responsibility under the Education Act to ensure the safety and supervision of all students and staff in our schools. Schools must not become the sites for forced removals of children by anyone, unless so directed by the administration of the school or its school board. In fact, the two children at St. Judes Elementary School, this past week, were virtually held hostage in order to lure the mother into an arrest.

We call on the federal government to immediately hold those responsible, accountable for such actions. Surely, the quick release of some of these students and family members indicates just how inappropriate and unacceptable these actions were. Under the law, children have a right to an education in Ontario and students should not be subjected to the trauma of experiencing or witnessing such forced removals.

“We demand that the federal authorities give assurances to our school boards in Ontario that this practice will never be repeated,” concluded Rhonda Kimberley-Young.

OSSTF/FEÉSO, founded in 1919, has 50,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, attendance counsellors, and many others in education.

Contact:
Rhonda Kimberley-Young, President
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
(416) 751-8300 or 1-800-267-7867

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