Public school teachers in York region are being told to avoid any memorials or tributes to Queen Elizabeth II in classrooms because the subject might be “very triggering” to some students — a policy that the Ford government wants to see scrapped immediately.
On Sept. 9, one day after the royal family announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the York Region District School Board sent a memo to schools instructing them on how to handle students and staff inquiries about the monarch’s passing.
The memo reminded teachers that schools should remain “neutral environments” and that discussions surrounding the queen’s death are “not encouraged” because it could remind students of personal losses they may have experienced.
“We request that school staff please refrain from developing tributes or activities to memorialize the death of the Queen, as well as displaying objects associated with the Queen for the purposes of memorializing,” the memo reads.
“For some, the death of the Queen is very triggering.”
Schools were also instructed not to play “God Save the Queen” or to livestream events related to the funeral and to offer students a neutral space “to have a break from potentially triggering media exposure.”
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In a stern statement, Education Minister Stephen Lecce ordered the school board to overturn the policy and “honour the queen on the date of her funeral.”
“We have made clear our direction that all schools are to recognize the profound impact of Queen Elizabeth II’s lifelong and unwavering devotion to public service,” Lecce said in a statement to Global News.
“I have directed this board to implement the province’s expectation, honour the Queen on the date of her funeral, and enrich students with a strong understanding of the values and enduring legacy of Canada’s constitutional democracy.”
On Tuesday, the Ford government rejected the idea of a provincial holiday to observe the queen’s funeral, and instead declared a provincial day of mourning along with a moment of silence at 1 p.m. on Monday.
A government spokesperson said Minister Lecce also spoke to all school boards chairs, directors and board leaders and shared an expectation that “all schools participate in the moment of silence.”
In the memo to school administrators, the York District school board further explained its reasons behind its caution to teachers about the role of the monarchy.
“Monarchies are steeped in problematic histories of colonialism which connect to ongoing present day oppression of individuals and groups. It is important to consider how each staff and student’s lived experience may potentially shape their perspective of the monarchy and be respectful of this,” the memo states.
The board added, however, that “this is not the time to debate monarchies” because the “impacts of colonialism are pervasive and ongoing.”
A spokesperson for the school board said while schools will commemorate the queen’s death by lowering flags across the region, the focus of educators should be to “ensure children are supported while in our classrooms.”
“In a region as richly diverse as ours, there will be different reactions to news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II and, as such, we continue to follow provincial requirements to commemorate her death by lowering flags and providing staff members with resources to respond to potential questions from children,” the board said in a statement.
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