After a months-long consultation process with York Region community members to rename a Vaughan high school, a bitter dispute has led to accusations of anti-Semitism and resulting allegations of racism.
This week, the results of a community survey found a plurality of residents want the school to be named after a Somali-Canadian woman, the late journalist Hodan Nalayeh.
Now, David Sherman, a Board of Trustees member within the York Region District School Board, is alleging “certain groups” in the community have collected name submissions from outside the country to improperly bolster support for naming the school after Nalayeh.
Sherman claims that has led submissions to be overwhelmingly in favour of Nalayeh, contrary to what the “local community” wants.
Black community advocacy groups say Sherman’s comments are racist, and say Nalayeh’s name was legitimately the first choice of the highest number of those surveyed by the school board, in a fair process.
As well, two other trustees, including the board chair, said Sherman’s views do not reflect their views or those of the board and they see no issues with the survey.
Vaughan Secondary School is being renamed after groups including Parents of Black Children and the Vaughan African Canadian Association campaigned for months last year. Benjamin Vaughan was an 18th-century British slave owner.
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This week, the results of a community survey found a plurality of residents want the school to be named after a Somali-Canadian woman, the late journalist Hodan Nalayeh.
Now, David Sherman, a Board of Trustees member within the York Region District School Board, is alleging “certain groups” in the community have collected name submissions from outside the country to improperly bolster support for naming the school after Nalayeh.
Sherman claims that has led submissions to be overwhelmingly in favour of Nalayeh, contrary to what the “local community” wants.
Black community advocacy groups say Sherman’s comments are racist, and say Nalayeh’s name was legitimately the first choice of the highest number of those surveyed by the school board, in a fair process.
As well, two other trustees, including the board chair, said Sherman’s views do not reflect their views or those of the board and they see no issues with the survey.
Vaughan Secondary School is being renamed after groups including Parents of Black Children and the Vaughan African Canadian Association campaigned for months last year. Benjamin Vaughan was an 18th-century British slave owner.
Dispute over renaming a Vaughan school after Somali woman leads to charges of anti-Black racism, concerns of anti-Semitism
A survey found a plurality of York Region community members favoured renaming Vaughan Secondary after late journalist Hodan Nalayeh. But a trustee questioning those results is provoking anger.
