Spicy valedictorians be warned: Ontario’s education minister says graduations are no place for politics
No hot takes allowed
Ontario’s education minister doesn’t want to hear about any politics at graduations this spring.
In a memo distributed to board staff and teachers, Education Minister Paul Calandra instructed schools to make sure their ceremonies didn’t include expressions of any “political views” or “engage in divisive or contentious issues of any kind.” Failing to comply, said Calandra, “poses a real risk to student well-being,” reports the CBC.
It’s unclear what exactly Calandra is talking about here. When contacted by the CBC, his office said the letter “speaks for itself.”
Which, pardon us, it does not. What counts as a “contentious issue?” What qualifies as “political?” Could a clever valedictorian get up on stage and criticize this order itself?
Calandra’s missive could be in response to countless controversies, including the Israel-Hamas war and the US-Israel war on Iran. Or, closer to home but no less relevant to a graduating student’s life, the recent cuts to OSAP by Calandra’s own government, which could imperil the post-graduation plans of many high school students.
The province could be proud to be producing precocious and politically active graduates who are passionate about the world around them. Instead, it seems, the government would prefer this year’s graduating class to be seen, not heard.
Anthony Milton is a freelance journalist based in Toronto specializing in long-form magazine writing. He previously worked as an assistant editor at Toronto Life, where he launched the Front Row newsletter. He regularly contributes all sorts of stories to the magazine, including deep dives on sports, business and housing as well as short-form commentary on our ever-changing city, from its obsession with cherry blossoms to its maddening NIMBYism. His work has also appeared in Maclean’s, Ricochet, TVO, the Trillium and more.
