Teacher dismissed for donning blackface attire ought to be re-employed, suggests arbitrator in Toronto case.
Arbitrator Norm Jesin has ruled that a Toronto high school teacher who was fired for wearing a Halloween costume involving blackface four years ago should be reinstated. The decision, which is considered final and binding, unless appealed, was made in a dispute between the teacher and the school board.
The incident occurred at Parkdale Collegiate Institute in October 2021. The teacher, whose identity is not disclosed, dressed in black clothes, wore a black face mask, and painted his face black to present a "scary persona" for Halloween. This action caused multiple students to be upset by his blackface.
Since then, the teacher has expressed remorse for his actions and has taken courses on anti-Black racism. The Ontario College of Teachers restored the teacher to "good standing" on Oct. 1, 2023.
The arbitrator's decision does not specify any disciplinary measures for the teacher, beyond reinstatement and compensation for lost wages. The teacher should be compensated for lost wages since Oct. 1, 2023, although the exact compensation amount has not been specified in the decision.
The teacher should be reinstated with no loss of seniority. The Toronto District School Board announced that it would comply with Arbitrator Jesin's decision.
When reached for comment, the TDSB and the OSSTF did not provide specific statements regarding the matter. The Canadian Press reached out to both parties for further information.
