Families of students attending Upper Canada College (UCC), a private boys school in Toronto, will have to wait a little bit longer to learn the outcome of an investigation into an anti-Semitic incident that targeted one of the school’s Jewish students.
“It’s a delicate and serious issue we’re working through,” said Marnie Peters, director of marketing and communications at UCC. “As more information becomes available, we’ll share it with parents and guardians. The school is taking it seriously and doing its part to resolve the situation.”
The incident took place on April 24 in the college’s Prep School, which serves children from kindergarten to Grade 7. A Grade 7 student returned to his locker to find it vandalized with anti-Semitic statements. The graffiti included a Nazi swastika, according to one report, which Peters declined to confirm.
A day after the incident, the school sent a statement to families of students.
“A student in Grade 7 returned to his locker at the end of the day to find it vandalized with anti-Semitic symbols and messaging. As soon as we became aware of the situation the College began an investigation. We have attempted to progress the investigation swiftly, involving all the appropriate parties, including the police,” read the letter.
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“This morning we called a meeting with all Grade 6 and 7 students where we communicated the severity of this situation. This incident and the sentiments represented are in direct opposition to the shared values we uphold and teach to our boys each day. The College considers this matter serious and is taking appropriate action.”
Jewish organizations offered their help to address the incident.
“The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) contacted the school to offer our support and to obtain details about the incident. Administrators said they are taking the issue very seriously and will be educating students about anti-Semitism and the impact hate has on our community,” said Sara Lefton, vice-president of CIJA for the Greater Toronto Area. “We are satisfied that UCC understands the gravity of the situation and are taking the appropriate steps to address it.”
“It is crucial that children are taught to appreciate diversity, and we are pleased that UCC has expressed interest in working with CIJA to educate their students against hatred,” Lefton added.
Avi Benlolo, president and CEO of the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, pointed out in an email to supporters that, “Some weeks prior, we received notification from a Jewish parent at a different private school. Apparently, her child confronted peers in her classroom who drew a swastika on their hands and proudly displayed it to the class. In another case, students proudly remarked ‘Heil Hitler’ and boasted about joining a hate group in the future.”
Benlolo suggested children are increasingly exposed to anti-Semitic messaging through digital technologies and because of a growing public attack on the legitimacy of Israel, both of which “seek to isolate and marginalize the Jewish people.”
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“The solution to the rising tide of anti-Semitism in our schools is more Holocaust education that is continuous and includes a component about anti-Semitism. A counter anti-Semitism program, however, cannot end with the Holocaust. It must include contemporary forms of the new anti-Semitism, involving a thorough understanding of the campaigns manifesting in universities, unions, political movements, the media and even international bodies like the United Nations,” he said.
The responsibility falls on families, educators and the broader community to address the issue, he added.
Approximately 1,100 students attend Upper Canada College from kindergarten through Grade 12. With tuition starting at $31,400, the prestigious 188-year-old school boasts an impressive roster of alumni, including provincial premiers, political leaders and business people.