Dear Community Members,

We are writing to you today regarding a deeply concerning incident at Crestwood Preparatory College in North York and the school administration's subsequent response, which has marginalized and alienated Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, and allied students and families.

As you may or may not know, the school sent a letter addressing an incident where an aide to a guest MP wore a "Free Palestine" wristband and watermelon pin. In its letter, the school demanded an apology for this act of solidarity and framed a call for human rights as an offense that requires contrition.

This is unacceptable.

Demanding an apology for wearing a "Free Palestine" bracelet is a blatant act of anti-Palestinian racism. It sends a chilling message that advocating for Palestinian rights, or being against a genocide, is a punishable viewpoint within our educational institutions. This conflation of political speech with hate speech is dangerous and wrong.

We cannot stay silent. Our silence would be complicity in the erasure of Palestinian voices and the censorship of a vital humanitarian issue.

That is why we have drafted a formal letter to the school administration, the Member of Parliament for the North York riding Salma Zahid, and the Minister of Education Paul Calandra, demanding:

· A public retraction of the demand for an apology.
· The implementation of a concrete plan to tackle anti-Palestinian racism, including mandatory staff training.
· A revision of school policies to protect the right to express solidarity with Palestine.

We need your signature. By adding your name to this letter, you are standing up for:

· Free Speech: The right to express political and humanitarian viewpoints without censorship.
· Anti-Racism: A school environment that is truly inclusive and does not marginalize one group while protecting another.
· Justice: The principle that being "for Palestinian human rights" is a moral stance, not a hateful one.

Please join us in speaking out.

Let us send a unified message that our community will not stand for the silencing of voices for justice.

In Solidarity,