Education Not Deportation from No One Is Illegal - Toronto on Vimeo.

EDUCATION NOT DEPORTATION – Short Doc

This assembly was amazing. The youth were extremely receptive and the vibe of the entire day was progressive.

Students and advocates reveal Toronto School Board failure, launch documentary

Toronto — 300 students, parents, teachers, staff and advocates gathered at a local high school on Universal Children’s Day to support non-status students still shut out of Toronto schools. Communities present insisted that the board remove questions on immigration status from admissions forms, adequately train staff and teachers, disseminate its policies in immigrant communities and lobby Ontario to ensure that no undocumented student is barred from schools anywhere in the province in accordance with the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Sanctuary School policy passed in 2006.

A 22-minute documentary, Education Not Deportation, was also launched and is now freely available.

The TDSB policy was passed in accordance with the Education Act of Ontario that stipulates access for all students, irrespective of Immigration status to schools.

“The policy says that schools should not and cannot ask for immigration status from students and if they should come across this information, it should not be given to federal immigration officials” explains Zahra Murad, an organizer with the Education Not Deportation Campaign.

Two years later, the policy is yet to be fully implemented.

“This is a crisis” insists Javier Davila, a Parkdale teacher featured in the documentary. “By not following the Education Act, TDSB is failing its students.”

The TDSB promised to change registration forms and train all teachers and staff on the policy.

“When you walk into the admissions office, they ask you all these questions. I felt that my status would be exposed and that I would be kicked out of the country” recalls Matthew Nguyen, who lived without status in Toronto. Matthew is one of the students appearing in the short film.

“Very few parents will come to schools, particularly if there are signs up that say the opposite of what the policy actually is” Pam Dogra, an elementary school teachers adds in the video. “Sometimes you’ll walk into a school and the regular checklist is, ‘Can I see your immigration papers?’ ‘Do you have a passport?’ So parents, I think, are very fearful to come in, and word spreads very fast in the community”

In the absence of public education in schools and migrant communities to ensure access not fear for undocumented people, the TDSB is missing out on becoming the model for schools across the country.

“Creating safe spaces for students is about more than just admission. You walk out of the classroom and you are scared. You are not just thinking about your marks. You think if you speak up, someone may report you” adds Renee Nadeau, a student who attended the event.

“You need more than a policy to create change. The entire community needs to be involved. We are all architects for the community we want to build”, she continues. “People need to get in to schools, and universities, and shelters, and hospitals. People need status.”

For more information go to no one is illegal’s website