Ontario Education Minister Jill Dunlop is telling school boards to keep classrooms free of “political biases” ahead of the anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.

Dunlop says in a memo to boards that as Oct. 7 approaches, she wants all school boards to “be vigilant in ensuring classrooms remain safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all students and staff.”

She says it is particularly important as the province, including its schools, sees a rise in intolerance, racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia.

The memo comes as the Ministry of Education investigates a Toronto District School Board field trip that saw students from 15 schools attend a protest on mercury contamination that is affecting a First Nation community in the north.

Videos on social media showed some march participants chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, which prompted Premier Doug Ford earlier this week to call it a “Palestinian rally” and complain that teachers were trying to indoctrinate children.

Dunlop says the focus in schools must always be learning.

“This means our schools and school-related activities should never be used as vehicles for political protests that enable inflammatory, discriminatory, and hateful content,” she wrote.

“While everyone is entitled to their own political opinions, they are not entitled to disseminate political biases into our classrooms.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.