Twelve Jewish teachers and educators in Ontario filed human rights applications on Thursday against four public school boards and two teachers’ unions, alleging that they faced antisemitic discrimination and that their complaints were ignored or mishandled. The educators are asking the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to hear the cases together and are seeking a combined C$1.8 million in damages.
The applications name the Toronto District School Board, York Region District School Board, Simcoe County District School Board, and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, as well as the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation. The complaints were filed three days ago, ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack.
The educators allege that they experienced discrimination connected to their Jewish identity, ancestry, ethnic origin, and beliefs, while the institutions responsible for employing or representing them failed to respond adequately. The allegations have not been adjudicated by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Among the incidents described in the complaints are swastikas drawn in classrooms, a student playing a Nazi anthem during class, Israeli flags being defaced in school books and maps, and a Star of David being removed from an anti-hate display.
In some cases, according to the applications, Jewish educators who complained were themselves questioned, removed from classrooms, or subjected to disciplinary measures. One teacher alleged that she was publicly reprimanded and silenced after attempting to raise concerns at a union meeting.
Teachers seek damages, counseling, and new antisemitism policies
Each of the 12 applicants is seeking C$150,000 in general damages, as well as funding for psychological counseling and structural changes in how school boards and unions address antisemitism.
The educators are asking the tribunal to order the institutions to create transparent and enforceable procedures for addressing antisemitism, developed in consultation with the Jewish community.
They are also seeking adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, which has been adopted by the Ontario government.
The educators filed their applications separately but have asked for the cases to be heard together. Their lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, said the proceedings were intended to address what the applicants describe as broader institutional failures rather than isolated incidents.
Canadian group calls for province-wide review
The Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation welcomed the complaints and called on Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra to order a province-wide review of how school boards handle complaints from Jewish educators.
CAEF said repeated failures to investigate allegations of discrimination should be viewed as a systemic problem involving the institutions responsible for receiving, examining, and resolving complaints.
“When individuals report discrimination and harassment and those complaints repeatedly go unanswered, the issue cannot simply be dismissed as the conduct of a few individuals,” the organization said in a statement.
The group also called for safeguards against retaliation, province-wide standards for handling antisemitism complaints, and training for school administrators.
Ontario report documented 781 antisemitic school incidents
The complaints come amid broader scrutiny of antisemitism in Ontario’s education system.
A report commissioned by Canada’s Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism documented 781 antisemitic incidents reported in Ontario elementary and secondary schools between October 7, 2023, and April 2025. The Jerusalem Post reported in July 2025 that the study was based on reports from 599 Jewish parents and found that nearly half of reported incidents were not investigated by school authorities.
Nearly one in six incidents involved a teacher, staff member, or school-sanctioned activity, according to the report. About 40% involved Nazi symbols, salutes, or references to Hitler, while roughly 30% involved assault, vandalism, or threatening gestures.
The teachers involved in the new proceedings, however, argue that the problems they experienced began years before October 7.
Toronto schools have faced mounting scrutiny
The Toronto District School Board has already faced growing pressure over its handling of antisemitism.
In February 2025, the board approved an updated antisemitism strategy following consultations with Jewish organizations, students, and staff who reported that antisemitic incidents were not always treated seriously. The plan followed complaints involving anti-Jewish harassment, exclusion, hostility toward Jewish symbols, and disputes over whether anti-Zionism should be treated as a form of antisemitism.
Further legal action followed. In June 2026, a former Toronto District School Board lawyer sued the board and one of its officials, alleging a “systemically antisemitic environment” and seeking damages related to his employment.
The latest complaints also come as reported antisemitic incidents rise across Canada. B’nai Brith Canada documented 6,800 incidents in 2025, a 145.6% increase compared with 2022, according to figures reported by the Post in April.
Ontario Education Ministry says antisemitism has no place in schools
A spokesperson for Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra said antisemitism was unacceptable and had no place in the province’s schools.
Every student and educator, the spokesperson said, should be able to feel safe, respected, and supported, and should have confidence that serious complaints will be taken seriously and handled appropriately.
The school boards and unions named in the proceedings have not been found liable. The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario will determine whether the applicants’ allegations constitute violations of the province’s human rights law.
The educators, meanwhile, are seeking institutional changes that they say would ensure Jewish staff members can report antisemitism without fearing retaliation.