Ontario teacher’s union wants all public elementary schools, named after Canada’s first Prime Minister, to be changed

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario says Sir John A. Macdonald should not have schools named after him because of his mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. Mainly, presiding over the creation of residential schools where Indigenous children where taken from their communities and forced to assimilate to the “white” way of living.

Here in Hamilton, there is a Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School, but the Hamilton Wentworth District School board says they wont be renaming it, mainly because it is set to close in 2019. For future schools, however, the board says the name is not out of the question.

Ironically enough, the board says Sir John A. Macdonald school has the most First Nation, Metis and Aboriginal students in the Hamilton public board. Their mascot used to be a chief, but has since been changed to be more culturally appropriate.

Some historians say removing Macdonald’s name is not appropriate because he reflected the general views of the time.