Last updated September 8, 2020
Letter from UTS Principal Rosemary Evans, June 3, 2020
Dear members of the UTS community:
At UTS, we have been deeply disturbed by the racist and discriminatory rhetoric and events which have transpired in the United States. We have been stunned and saddened by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sean Reed and Tony McDade. We express our solidarity with our Black students, staff, families and alumni in condemning anti-Black racism and violence. We recognize that racism, including anti-Black racism, continues to be a reality in Toronto and Canada.
Posted June 3, 2020
As members of the UTS community, we are each accountable to uphold UTS values and condemn racist speech and actions. We will not tolerate racist jokes, social media posts or hate speech of any kind. Within our school community, we understand the importance of questioning our assumptions and interrogating our practices. We encourage all community members to speak out on behalf of others and be vocal allies.
Our purpose as a school is to graduate students who take initiative and innovate as socially responsible global citizens. Our commitment to equity and inclusion forms a central pillar of our strategic plan which supports this mission. All students should see themselves and their traditions reflected in our school program and experience acceptance, respect and belonging. We must accept the challenge to uncover discrimination including systemic inequity in our school and in the broader society, advocate against all forms of injustice and take direct action to combat discrimination in our community.
In addition to anti-Black racism, we recognize that hate and prejudice takes many forms. It is essential that we work together to guarantee that all members of our community are accepted and respected for who they are. We oppose prejudicial treatment based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, language, ability, and other forms of difference. We are united against all forms of injustice – anti-Black racism, anti-Asian sentiments, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, lack of acceptance of LGBTQ2S and Indigenous rights – indeed all forms of hatred and discrimination.
Every member of the UTS community is encouraged to consider what actions we can take as individuals and as a school to make a difference.
I encourage you to make your views known, to support organizations that are committed to change, and to get involved to shape a more equitable and inclusive world. We welcome open discussion with our students, staff, parents, and alumni and deeply appreciate hearing your views and suggestions. A special thank you to the students and staff that helped me to shape this message, especially student leaders and Black Equity Committee heads Leyat (M3) and Daeja (S5), who have been engaged in anti-racism work long before the events of this week.
Sincerely,
Rosemary Evans
Principal, University of Toronto Schools
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