In response to comments by concerned citizens about the alleged antisemitic student project at Stephen Lewis Secondary School in Mississauga, the Peel District School Board (PDSB) further clarified:
- “The investigation is ongoing. Due to privacy laws, we will not be able to share the outcome of the investigation with individuals that are not directly involved.”
- “This is definitely a teachable moment. As we have shared, we need to address this through education. We will work with local Jewish faith leaders and other community leaders to address this and restore a sense of safety and respect for all.”
- “This student project did go on for the entire semester.”
- “This project is no longer happening. We are currently investigating the gaps and will do better through education, and working with community faith leaders.”
- “This project did not take place the entire semester. We took action on Friday [April 12, 2019] and currently investigating to do better.”
The next meeting of PDSB’s Board of Trustees will be held on April 23.
On April 14, 2019 a former student at Stephen Lewis Secondary School, posted on Facebook:
“The project was not intended to be anti-semitic. It was intended to raise awareness of injustices Palestinian Prisoners are facing to this day as a result of a long war torn conflict of Israel stealing Palestinian land. It was to raise awareness that Israeli Pharmaceutical Firms are testing on oppressed, and innocent Palestinian who were wrongfully prisoned. [sic] Being a former Peel Student I am distraught over the situation, we have ALWAYS been taught to “think outside the box” and acknowledge real world issues and injustices that are going on globally, Stephen Lewis (my former highschool) being a secondary school standing for social justice and change. Yet when us students address these issues we’re told not to because others are offended. In no way were the students trying to be anti-semitic, they were NOT going after Jews but large, corporate pharmaceutical firms that reside in Israel that are testing on Palestinians. They were trying to raise awareness on a political and social issue, NOT a religious. Don’t get it twisted.”