The Ontario government has appointed Patrick Case to review the Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) field trip policies after students attended a political demonstration last month, prompting serious safety concerns from parents.
“The safety and well-being of students should always come first in our classrooms. Publicly funded schools should never be used as vehicles of political protest, ideology or discrimination,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Education. “We have a responsibility to act when a school board fails to take appropriate action.”
Case, who previously served as the Ministry of Education’s Chief Equity Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister of the Education Equity and Governance Secretariat from 2017 to 2024, was also one of two reviewers appointed for the 2017 review of the York Region District School Board. He is expected to examine the TDSB’s policies, procedures and practices related to field trips, including how they are implemented.
“This review is a necessary step to address this pressing issue and examine where gaps may exist, so that the TDSB can prevent such matters from occurring in the future,” the ministry stated.
Case will deliver a report with recommendations to ensure student safety is prioritized before the end of the year. Based on his findings, the ministry will determine next steps to ensure TDSB classrooms remain focused on learning rather than politics.
