Latest news with #publiceducation
CBC
a day ago
- General
- CBC
Nili Kaplan-Myrth exits OCDSB, blaming 'toxicity' on and off the board
Social Sharing A high-profile member of Ottawa's largest school board has resigned, alleging the organization is "entrenched in internal toxicity" and "driven by external forces with a goal to undo human rights and social justice work." Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth is a family physician who rose to public prominence while advocating for vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, she was elected to a four-year term as the Capital/Alta Vista trustee for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). That tumultuous tenure came to an end at the tail end of the board's committee-of-the-whole meeting on Tuesday, with Kaplan-Myrth announcing her exit from the organization. "We need people to stand up for public education," she said, reading out from her letter of resignation, "but nobody should have to do so in the face of the kind of harassment I have experienced." After Kaplan-Myrth's remarks, trustee Cathryne Milburn asked the board chair, Lynn Scott, if she had any response. "I don't wish to have remarks from the chair," Kaplan-Myrth cut in. "It's not her who has the final word. That is my resignation." Kaplan-Myrth then rose from her seat and placed her letter in front of Scott. The board chair said Kaplan-Myrth's resignation must be accepted at the board's next regular board meeting. The board then has 90 days to find a replacement. "I'm disappointed, frankly," Scott told CBC after the meeting. "When we have trustees who have been with us for a while and when we have seen that there are good things that they can do, it's always a sense of loss." Pino Buffone, the board's director of education, acknowledged Kaplan-Myrth received "a lot of vile, unacceptable comments from the public more broadly, irrespective of her position or her perspective on various issues." Days before Tuesday's meeting, Kaplan-Myrth sent a statement to CBC News outlining her reasons for leaving the board despite having more than a year left in her term. Before the meeting, she'd informed at least one other trustee of her plan to resign, according to her statement. Kaplan-Myrth said the board failed to support her when she faced threats and hateful messages because of her progressive views and her being an outspoken member of Ottawa's Jewish community. "That's the reality of politics, you're no doubt thinking," she wrote in her statement. "[But] it discourages decent people from putting their hands up as candidates at all levels of government." "What made matters much worse," she added, "was the toxicity within the school board." 'The final straw' Among Kaplan-Myrth's other specific allegations against the board was the "weaponization" of code-of-conduct complaints she says were designed to silence or punish her. Since being elected in October 2022, Kaplan-Myrth has faced three code-of-conduct complaints. One failed to gain enough traction among other trustees, while another resulted in Kaplan-Myrth being disciplined in December 2023. A third, "vexatious" complaint was filed against Kaplan-Myrth this past April and concerned comments she made during a meeting that month, according to a letter her lawyer sent the Ministry of Education. Kaplan-Myrth also shared that letter with CBC. At the April meeting, Kaplan-Myrth spoke against a member of the board's equity committee wearing a keffiyeh, calling it an "act of aggression." The National Council of Canadian Muslims called Kaplan-Myrth to task, saying her statement was "an unfair and dangerous conflation of Palestinian culture and identity with aggression and violence." That third code-of-conduct complaint was "the final straw," Kaplan-Myrth wrote. "I cannot continue to participate on a board like this. It is driven by external forces with a goal to undo human rights and social justice work, [and it] is entrenched in internal toxicity." 'Vile Jew hate' Some of Kaplan-Myrth's concerns date back to the start of her term, when she called for a return to masking in classrooms. At one board meeting in late 2022, security and police had to remove some attendees for disrupting the proceedings. "Within a few days of that meeting, I had to quarantine my email and give up my OCDSB cell phone because of vile Jew hate and threatening messages," Kaplan-Myrt wrote. "When I approached the director and chair of the OCDSB, they failed to make an internal or a public statement that harassment would not be tolerated. My fellow trustees were silent." Kaplan-Myrth pointed to March 2023, when she said she was threatened for planning to wear a rainbow T-shirt, in support of transgender rights, at a board meeting. "My own family was murdered because they were Jews. These kinds of threats are more real to me because of intergenerational trauma," she wrote in her statement. "I nevertheless showed up to that meeting and continued to show up to meeting after meeting, asking repeatedly for my colleagues to understand the trauma of having to scan the room for threats. The only safety plan that was put into place was a process whereby I was supposed to send a text message to staff or to a friend when I arrived at the OCDSB building, to ask someone to walk out to my car to meet me." Scott told CBC she believes staff did everything reasonable to the reduce the amount of online vitriol Kaplan-Myrth was exposed to. "I think from both [a] physical standpoint in terms of a security plan and also online to the greatest extent that we possibly could, [we] gave our very best attempts to support the trustee," Buffone added. Kaplan-Myrth also criticized the board for what she said was a failure to distinguish between "legitimate" constituents and "nefarious actor[s]." Scott said that while there have been campaigns of disinformation and misinformation aimed at the board, she's not so sure they have actually shaped trustees' decisions, as Kaplan-Myrth has alleged. "We have a good group of trustees who for the most part do their homework, consider a lot of different potential points of view, a lot of different information and we have a first-rate staff who provide us with all of the internal information that we need," Scott said. Asked if there was anything the board could have done differently to ensure Kaplan-Myrth stayed on, Scott said it's always difficult to know. "Hindsight sometimes gives you hints, but it's hard to point out specific things that would have made a difference. I mean, anytime when you're dealing with people — and we deal with a lot: members of the public, members of our staff and each other — there are often times when you look back and say I could have done that differently, except if you did it differently, maybe the same thing would still have happened.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
I'm Ohio's Teacher of the Year. Proposed state budget changes betray our students.
(Stock photo from Getty Images) Recently, I received a message from my son's teacher, excitedly letting me know he passed his Math Ohio state test. When my son was diagnosed with a neurological disability, I worried about the ways he might struggle, not only physically and emotionally, but academically. I found peace in knowing that Ohio's public schools would support him through protections provided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). What I didn't expect was the depth of care, commitment and expertise his public school teachers would bring. They see him. They celebrate his brilliance, advocate for his growth, and make sure I am part of a team. This is why it is devastating to watch our state systematically strip resources from public education while funneling hundreds of millions of dollars more into private and charter schools that are not held to the same standards. This isn't just a financing shift. It's a shift in values. Early in my career, I worked in charter schools, and while that experience shaped me as an educator, it also exposed me to harsh realities. I saw how poor accountability led to inefficiency and blatant disregard for students. These schools prioritized profit over people, with faceless management sending impersonal directives from beach homes in Florida. I watched students be discarded for not fitting an image and dedicated educators penalized for speaking up. My experiences confirm these are not the schools that best serve Ohio's children, yet our state continues to prioritize them over public schools that educate all students – no exceptions. Our public schools don't pick and choose. They don't push out students who need more support. They don't quietly ignore civil rights protections like IDEA. My child thrives today because of this commitment, but I worry—for how much longer? Proposed education budget changes feign a preference for school choice, but reflect a deeper truth: Ohio is abandoning its responsibility to educate all children. Underfunding public education puts supports like my son's at risk. As an educator and a parent, I know what questions to ask and what rights to fight for, but many parents do not. Without the legal oversight and rules public schools must follow, too many students with disabilities may receive inadequate support, or be denied support, and their families may not even realize it. My child, and every child, deserves an education that meets their needs, not one that depends on whether a school chooses to serve them. Voucher and charter schools are not bound by the same transparency, equity, or admissions requirements as public schools. They can, and do, exclude students of color, LGBTQ+ students, students in poverty and students with disabilities, further damaging how these students feel seen and valued in the world. Yet, they're receiving hundreds of millions more in taxpayer dollars. Meanwhile, public schools are expected to do more with less. Because Ohio refuses to fund public education fully, districts are forced to rely on local property taxes. When those levies fail, as they did recently in my own communities of Twinsburg and Stow-Munroe Falls, students pay the price. Teachers stretch their resources, families scramble for support, and achievement gaps widen, particularly for rural and urban districts already struggling. I'm proud to be Ohio's Teacher of the Year, but this title means little if I don't speak up. My colleagues in my district, the educators so tenderly caring for my baby in his, and those across the state working every day to make public schools places of learning, belonging, and possibility for every child can't do it alone, and shouldn't have to. Ohio's children deserve better—all of them. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lt. Gov. Patrick calls legislative session most productive ever for Republicans
AUSTIN - The 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature is set to end on Monday after a frantic final push for big votes to meet critical deadlines. FOX 7's Rudy Koski talked to Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick about the sprint to the finish line and an assessment of what was and wasn't accomplished this session. What they're saying "We're on the verge of the best, productive session ever for conservatives and for Republicans, but for all Texans. With school choice, the biggest amount of money ever put into public education, the biggest pay raises, a $200,000 homestead exemption for seniors, meaning almost all seniors in the state will never have to pay school property taxes again for as long as they own their home. We'll put the Ten Commandments back in the classrooms, prayer back in their classroom. And just a litany of bills that are going to change the face of Texas," said Patrick. The clock did run out on some of Patrick's priorities. A crackdown on mail order abortion pills, proof of citizenship for voting and bail bans for undocumented immigrants and violent repeat offenders did not pass this session. Patrick says there will always be some bills that don't make it through. "School choice alone would be a session. The public financing for public education and how we're redoing that and focusing on teachers and students really for the first time, that would be session bill. All of these big issues alone would be a session if you just pass one of them, and we're passing all of them," he said. What they're saying The lieutenant governor did partake in the political arm-twisting and made the occasional threat to force a special session if some of his priority bills failed in the House. "There's been less arm-twisting this session than ever. Better communication than ever. The relationship between the speaker's office and the lieutenant governor's office is light years ahead of where it's been the last four years, where there was no communication, quite frankly. The relationship between the senators and the house members, Republican and Democrats: better than it's ever been. You're always going to bump your head along the way somewhere and someone says something you're not happy with. I mean that's been almost non-existent," Patrick said. You can watch Texas: The Issue Is on FOX on Sunday nights or anytime on FOX LOCAL and the Texas: The Issue Is Podcast The Source Information in this article comes from an interview with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Philadelphia honours Quinta Brunson with key, mural at alma mater that inspired ‘Abbott Elementary'
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia's mayor honoured actor and producer Quinta Brunson with a key to the city Wednesday in a ceremony dedicating a separate mural at Brunson's alma mater, which was the inspiration for her show 'Abbott Elementary.' The producer, writer and comedian gazed at the shiny key handed to her by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and quipped: 'Wow! I want to ask the question on everybody's mind: What does it open?' Brunson used the ceremony held at Andrew Hamilton School to celebrate the power of public education, public schoolteachers and music and arts education. Her parents and siblings were in attendance, along with Joyce Abbott, the teacher who inspired the name of the show's fictional school, the 'real life Gregory' and other teachers and classmates. The mural, titled Blooming Features, was created by artist Athena Scott with input from Brunson and Hamilton students and staff. Its brightly colored depictions of real people from the school wrap around the outside of the school's red brick facade. Brunson described taking inspiration from the murals painted along her subway route as a kid, especially when she saw one of her own teachers featured. She said she hopes this mural has the same effect. The actor said she nixed an initial mock-up brought to her by ABC that featured actors from the Emmy Award-winning show in favor of actual community members — because 'that's how you know there is a future.' 'You don't need to see famous people on the wall. You need to see you on the wall,' she said. 'Painted, beautiful. We are beautiful. It makes a difference. It made a difference for me, so I know even if it makes a difference for just one child, that one child matters.' Jane Golden, executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, said she was thrilled when Brunson featured her organization on an episode of the show. Philadelphia is ranked No. 1 in the nation for its murals. 'When people visit Philadelphia they are struck by the works of art that grace the sides of buildings in every single neighbourhood of the city,' she said. 'For us, this is a matter of equity. It's great to have world class galleries and museums — that's wonderful — but the fact that everyone everywhere can walk out the door and see large-scale works of public art that represent them, like the school here, that is awesome.' The Associated Press
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Quinta Brunson honored with key to the city of Philadelphia, mural at alma mater that inspired "Abbott Elementary"
Philadelphia's mayor honored actor and producer Quinta Brunson with a key to the city Wednesday in a ceremony dedicating a separate mural at Brunson's alma mater, which inspired her show Abbott Elementary. The producer, writer and comedian gazed at the shiny key handed to her by Mayor Cherelle Parker and quipped: "Wow! I want to ask the question on everybody's mind: What does it open?" Brunson used the ceremony held at Andrew Hamilton School to celebrate the power of public education, public schoolteachers and music and arts education. Her parents and siblings were in attendance, along with Joyce Abbott, the teacher who inspired the name of the show's fictional school, the "real life Gregory" and other teachers and classmates. The mural, titled Blooming Features, was created by artist Athena Scott with input from Brunson and Hamilton students and staff. Its brightly colored depictions of real people from the school wrap around the outside of the school's red brick facade. Brunson described taking inspiration from the murals painted along her subway route as a kid, especially when she saw one of her own teachers featured. She said she hopes this mural has the same effect. The actor said she nixed an initial mock-up brought to her by ABC that featured actors from the Emmy Award-winning show in favor of actual community members — because "that's how you know there is a future." "You don't need to see famous people on the wall. You need to see you on the wall," she said. "Painted, beautiful. We are beautiful. It makes a difference. It made a difference for me, so I know even if it makes a difference for just one child, that one child matters." Jane Golden, executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, said she was thrilled when Brunson featured her organization on an episode of the show. Philadelphia is ranked No. 1 in the nation for its murals. "When people visit Philadelphia, they are struck by the works of art that grace the sides of buildings in every single neighborhood of the city," she said. "For us, this is a matter of equity. It's great to have world class galleries and museums — that's wonderful — but the fact that everyone everywhere can walk out the door and see large-scale works of public art that represent them, like the school here, that is awesome."
