As Toronto grapples with the fact that white male historical figures can often be problematic in modern contexts (shocker!) the City and other private entities are continuing on the crusade to wipe the names of certain figures from various assets, with more changes to come this year.
First to go was Ryerson University, which chose to adopt the moniker Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 after people began drawing awareness to namesake Egerton Ryerson’s hand in creating not just Canada’s public school system, but also its appalling residential school system (knowledge that resulted in protesters tearing down the school’s statue of the figure, among other things).
Then there was Yonge-Dundas Square, Dundas Street, and numerous other properties bearing the name Dundas, which are in various stages of renaming after Henry Dundas’s past came into question, with some believing he delayed the end of slavery, but others insisting was actually very much an abolitionist.
Now, three Toronto public schools are also facing a change of identity for the same reasons: Dundas Junior Public School, Ryerson Community School and Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute, a decision made by Toronto District School Board trustees last month.
But, just as people pushed back against the Dundas renaming initiatives given the array of other pressing issues the City needs to fund in the midst of a cash problem, there is a new petition against this latest update, too.
A petition created in late February titled “Stop the renaming of TDSB schools” argues that the public is sick of “elected officials forcing costly and divisive renaming initiatives upon us,” and calls the TDSB vote “a reckless decision made in an ideological vacuum.”
“School trustees claim these historical figures represent ‘systems of oppression’ and that their names create ‘microaggressions’ harmful to students, but what these activists fail to acknowledge is that, despite their flaws, these figures made significant contributions to Canada and modern society,” states the petition, which has garnered 2,224 signatures at the time of writing.
“Even the esteemed Canadian Institute for Historical Education has condemned the TDSB’s decision,” it continues, adding that “this shortsighted renaming is estimated to cost at least $180,000, and taxpayers will be footing the bill. Like the costly renaming of Yonge-Dundas Square, this is another example of putting ideology over financial prudence.”
Comments from supporters include “there are far better ways to spend our tax dollars, stop erasing Canadian identity and history” and “our education system should teach our kids about history, not rewrite it.”
Unfortunately for those behind the appeal, their request is unlikely to have any effect since the trustee ruling has already taken place, and considering that the City is moving forward with the Dundas renaming despite a far larger 43,000+ people across multiple petitions asking the street name to stay as is.
