EXCLUSIVE: School board trains staff that the term ‘family’ is harmful, racist

Waterloo Region District School Board staff are being trained that the word “family” is a harmful concept rooted in white supremacy.

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Waterloo Region District School Board staff are being trained that the word “family” is a harmful concept rooted in white supremacy.

True North obtained internal training materials delivered to the staff at Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation which assert that terms like “objectivity,” “perfectionism,” and “worship of the written word” are hallmarks of “Whiteness” and upholding white supremacy.

Quoting from Culturally Relevant Pedagogy by Laura Mae Lindo, one slide states that “biases are the socialized teachings of the white culture,” and “we use key words and phrases to promote the dominant culture.” One of the offensive words in question is “family,” which is said to be harmful to racialized students because it implies male authority, demands obedience without question, and erodes personal boundaries by “prioritizing the family’s needs.”

Another slide asserts that asking for evidence for claims of racism or acknowledging racism toward white people is a “characteristic of whiteness” that must be dismantled.

“The pain and hurt and discomfort are not ancillary to antiracism work, they are the guts of it” it says. “Without them, change simply does not happen,” quoting from White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better. The WRDSB’s 2024 workforce census reports that 90% of staff are white and 79% are women.

A source within the board who provided the materials and asked to remain anonymous questioned whether the messaging truly reflects the views of most staff. “Teachers just want to get on with their job of teaching,” the source said. “Ideology—if you will—is just something many teachers acknowledge as being present. They just want to get on with their jobs.”

Within staff circles, caution has become routine as the source was advised to “be careful” when sharing information with outsiders. They pointed to the case of Ontario teacher Chanel Pfahl, who the Ontario College of Teachers investigated after publicly criticizing anti-racism education.

“Whether [anyone within the administration] believes it or not is anyone’s guess,” the source said.

Another slide promotes the use of “BIPOC affinity groups,” described as exclusive, invitation-only spaces for non-white staff or students. These groups are deliberately kept confidential, justified by the claim that school culture is inhospitable to racial minorities. Despite their private nature, the groups are cited in WRDSB board meeting minutes and equity reports as markers of institutional progress.

Despite denials, Ontario’s Ministry of Education endorses culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy, which serves as the applied form of critical race theory. It is not a standalone course but a political framework that filters classroom instruction through the lens of identity, power, and systemic oppression. The Ministry’s Equity Action Plan requires that culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy should be integrated across all subjects.

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According to Stephen Reich, a PhD student in educational leadership and policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the concept of “whiteness” is directly borrowed from critical race theory. Reich, who studies the politicization of education, told True North that there is no experimental evidence showing that anti-racist approaches reduce discrimination. In fact, he argues these methods often “create bias where none previously existed.”

Reich noted that there is “no evidence that anti-oppression education narrows learning gaps” adding that limited studies attempting to measure any benefits have found that such programs “make students more fluent in anti-oppression language—nothing more.”

The WRDSB previously denied that critical race theory is part of its programming. In June 2022, trustee Cindy Watson introduced a motion requesting a report on the use of critical race theory in lesson plans.

“There is much confusion from parents and staff around CRT and white privilege, the confusion is breeding concerns, sharing concerns leads to fear of being judged or being labelled a racist and judgment will ultimately always bring division,” Watson said during the board meeting. WRDSB staff responded that critical race theory was not part of the curriculum, and the motion was voted down.

True North reached out to the WRDSB for comment but did not receive a response.

Anti-racist hiring practices have followed similar lines. On March 23, WRDSB hosted a job fair specifically for “Indigenous, Black & racialized individuals.” The stated rationale was to ensure that students “see themselves reflected in the education system.”

The board does not currently have a formal anti-racism policy although one is currently under consultation, with a target completion date in Fall 2025.