School boards need leaders who focus on education not politics

From the Fraser Institute

Canada’s largest school board is looking for a new leader. Colleen Russell-Rawlins, director of education of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), will retire this fall.

To say her tenure has been controversial would be an understatement. During her three years in the top job, TDSB doubled down on its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, with tragic consequences. Former TDSB principal Richard Bilkszto took his own life last year after facing relentless harassment from other administrators for challenging DEI orthodoxy during a professional development session.

The harms caused by DEI extend even further. Two years ago, TDSB voted to abolish its merit-based admissions policy at specialized arts and sports schools in the name of “equity.” Parents of students in these schools were not happy about this erosion of standards. After spending years building up these specialized schools, TDSB is now tearing them down.

Add to this the ongoing harassment of Jewish students in TDSB schools and the failure of administrators to crack down on employees who disseminate blatantly anti-Israel propaganda. Expect things to get even worse if trustees replace Russell-Rawlins with someone with a similar mindset and approach.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what will happen if TDSB follows the guidelines provided by the Ontario Public Supervisory Officers’ Association (OPSOA), the organization representing superintendents and directors of education in Ontario.

To be eligible for the position, prospective directors of education must complete the OPSOA’s Supervisory Officer’s Qualification Program. However, this program looks like a woke propogandist’s dream. According to the OPSOA’s website, the qualification program focuses on “anti-oppression, anti-racism, [and] anti—colonialism.” No wonder education directors appear obsessed with these topics.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has stated that he wants school boards to focus more on academics. He’s even gone so far as to publicly rebuke school boards that get mired in debates over secondary issues such as masks or transgender policy. Lecce is right to be concerned. From 2003 to 2022, Ontario’s PISA math test scores declined from 530 to 495. That’s the equivalent of nearly two years of learning loss. Clearly, something needs to change.

However, things will only change for the better when school boards start hiring education directors who reject DEI ideology and who put academics first. This means choosing men and women who haven’t climbed the career ladder by pushing DEI initiatives.

At a minimum, the province must drop the requirement for education directors to hold supervisory officer’s qualifications. Making the completion of a program replete with DEI buzzwords such as “anti-oppression” and “anti-colonial” mandatory is a surefire way to ensure that education directors will focus on non-academic issues.

Fortunately, the Ford government has started making at least some changes. Back in 2020, Ontario removed the requirement for directors of education to be former teachers. Considering the uselessness of most Bachelor of Education courses, it’s legitimate to ask why anyone would need an education degree to run a school board.

Obviously, none of this means that qualifications don’t matter. The Ford government’s recent announcement that all future teachers must pass a math proficiency test shows that basic competency matters. People working for school boards, particularly those in the top job, must also be familiar with the education system and know how to lead effectively.

It’s important to remember why we have schools in the first place. The purpose of education is to help students master the academic basics, acquire important life skills, and become responsible Canadian citizens—not to indoctrinate students into woke ideology.

Schools can only function if they have the trust of the communities they serve. If parents feel that teachers are ignoring their concerns or are disrespecting their beliefs, they will pull their kids out of the government school system and pursue other educational options. While parents should always have this right, it’s unfortunate when they are forced into it by administrators who are hostile to their values.

TDSB trustees have a real opportunity to make a change for the better by hiring an education director with a track record of putting academics first. Otherwise, TDSB will continue its downward spiral.

Real change starts at the top. Hopefully, TDSB trustees realize the importance of the decision they are about to make and hire the right person for the job.

Author:

Michael Zwaagstra

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute

Related Topics:#ColleenRussellRawlins #DEIPolicies #FraserInstitute #MichaelZwaagstra #RichardBilkszto #TorontoDistrictSchoolBoard

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Tulsi Gabbard fires 100+ NSA officials involved in sexually graphic secret group chat

Published on February 26, 2025

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From LifeSiteNews

By Matt Lamb

Gabbard said this is just the beginning of cleaning out the Deep State.

Around 100 intelligence community officials who participated in a secret sex group chat on a National Security Agency platform while ostensibly on the clock will be fired and lose their security clearances, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced.

Gabbard’s statement follows a new report from investigative journalist Christopher Rufo that exposed a National Security Agency chatroom where polyamory and transgender surgeries were discussed while fantasizing about having hermaphrodite babies and condemning Christians, as LifeSiteNews recently reported.

“There are over 100 people from across the intelligence community that contributed to and participated in this … egregious violation of trust,” Gabbard told Fox News host Jesse Waters last night in response to his question about the “transgender sex chat.”

“I put out a directive today that they all will be terminated and their security clearances will be revoked,” Gabbard said.

However, there are larger problems, saying the revelations and sanctions are “barely scratching the surface.”

“They were brazen in using an NSA platform, intended for professional use, to conduct this kind of really, really horrific behavior,” Gabbard said. “They were brazen in doing this because when was the last time anyone was really held accountable, certainly not over the last four years, certainly not over the last 10, maybe 20 years.”

“Today’s action in holding these individuals accountable is just the beginning of what we’re seeing across the Trump administration” to “clean house” and “rebuild that trust” in federal institutions.

Rufo said the chats were done on taxpayer time and dime as part of the NSA’s commitment to “diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

He wrote in City Journal:

According to our sources, the sex chats were legitimized as part of the NSA’s commitment to “diversity, equity and inclusion.” Activists within the agency used LGBTQ+ “employee resource groups” to turn their kinks and pathologies into official work duties. According to the current NSA employee, these groups “spent all day” recruiting activists and holding meetings with titles such as “Privilege,” “Ally Awareness,” “Pride,” and “Transgender Community Inclusion.” And they did so with the full support of NSA leadership, which declared that DEI was “not only mission critical, but mission imperative.”

In the article, Rufo also said a “conflict is coming.”

“These NSA chat logs suggest the presence of at least hundreds of gender activists within the intelligence services who cannot distinguish between male and female, and who believe that discussing castration, polyamory, and ‘gangbangs’ is an appropriate use of public resources,” he wrote. “For psychological and ideological reasons, these kinds of people will not be easily sidelined. The Trump administration should not only dismantle the structure of DEI but also terminate the employees who use it to advance gender activism at the expense of national security.”

The revelation had drawn quick condemnation, as previously reported by LifeSiteNews.

“This behavior is unacceptable and those involved WILL be held accountable,” Gabbard wrote last night. “These disgusting chat groups were immediately shut down when @POTUS issued his EO ending the DEI insanity the Biden Admin was obsessed with. Our IC must be focused on our core mission: ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American people.”

Elon Musk compared the chats to criticism of his work with the Department of Government Efficiency to root out corruption and waste.

“On one hand, @DOGE computer nerds review government data to eliminate waste & fraud,” he wrote sarcastically. “On the other hand, demented creeps at intelligence agencies spy on you at will. Which is of greater concern?”

The National Security Agency’s X account also commented on the report last night.

“NSA is aware of posts that appear to show inappropriate discussions by IC personnel,” the agency wrote on X. “IC collaboration platforms are intended to drive mission outcomes. Potential misuse of these platforms by a small group of individuals does not represent the community.”

It said investigations “are ongoing.”

Business

PepsiCo joins growing list of companies tweaking DEI policies

Published on February 22, 2025

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MxM News

Quick Hit:

PepsiCo is the latest major U.S. company to adjust its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies as 47th President Donald Trump continues his campaign to end DEI practices across the federal government and private sector. The company is shifting away from workforce representation goals and repurposing its DEI leadership, signaling a broader trend among American corporations.

Key Details:

PepsiCo will end DEI workforce representation goals and transition its chief DEI officer to focus on associate engagement and leadership development.
The company is introducing a new “Inclusion for Growth” strategy as its five-year DEI plan concludes.
PepsiCo joins other corporations, including Target and Alphabet-owned Google, in reconsidering DEI policies following Trump’s call to end “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.”

Diving Deeper:

PepsiCo has announced significant changes to its DEI initiatives, aligning with a growing movement among U.S. companies to revisit diversity policies amid political pressure. According to an internal memo, the snacks and beverages giant will no longer pursue DEI workforce representation goals. Instead, its chief DEI officer will transition to a broader role that focuses on associate engagement and leadership development. This shift is part of PepsiCo’s new “Inclusion for Growth” strategy, set to replace its expiring five-year DEI plan.

The company’s decision to reevaluate its DEI policies comes as President Donald Trump continues his push against DEI practices, urging private companies to eliminate what he calls “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.” Trump has also directed federal agencies to terminate DEI programs and has warned that academic institutions could face federal funding cuts if they continue with such policies.

PepsiCo is not alone in its reassessment. Other major corporations, including Target and Google, have also modified or are considering changes to their DEI programs. This trend reflects a broader corporate response to the evolving political landscape surrounding DEI initiatives.

Additionally, PepsiCo is expanding its supplier base by broadening opportunities for all small businesses to participate, regardless of demographic categories. The company will also discontinue participation in single demographic category surveys, further signaling its shift in approach to DEI.

As companies like PepsiCo navigate these changes, the debate over the future of DEI in corporate America continues. With Trump leading a campaign against these practices, more companies may follow suit in reevaluating their DEI strategies.