April 10th, 2023
On Thursday, April 6th, there was a suspected act of hate at the Islamic Centre of Markham. Witnesses reported that a male suspect drove his vehicle directly at one of the worshippers and yelled threats and Islamophobic slurs. As this is the holy month of Ramadan, the mosque was particularly busy.
This is a deeply troubling incident, especially as we near the anniversary of the London Terror Attack, where a family in London Ontario was run down in an act of hatred. This act has led to feelings of vulnerability among members of the Muslim community including students, staff and families here in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB).
The WRDSB is committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all our learners. As police continue to investigate the nature of this crime, we are aware of the harm and concern that has arisen for some communities we serve. In light of this, we want to emphasize our commitment to confronting and interrupting all forms of racism, hate and discrimination including Islamophobia.
Furthermore, all members of the WRDSB community may look to the Human Rights Branch for support if they experience or recognize they have been negatively impacted by discrimination or harassment based on the Ontario Human Rights Code protected grounds.
In order to assist parents and caregivers as they support their children and our students, we have a number of resources available on our Mental Health & Well-Being page.
Community Resources
The following supports for Muslim students were shared by the Coalition of Muslim Women:
Naseeha Helpline for Mental Health
Phone: 1-866-NASEEHA (627-3342)
Muslim Social Services
Email: info@muslimsocialserviceskw.org
Aligned Health
Sanjay Govindraj MSW, RSW, MAES
Phone: (833) 267-4057
Email: sanjay@alignedhealth.ca
Muslim Chaplaincy of Wilfred Laurier
Selda Sezen, Muslim Chaplaincy of Laurier
Phone: 519 729 7280
Email: ssezen@wlu.ca
Ghazala Fauzia
MA, MSW, RSW
Email: ghazala.fauzia@gmail.com
Phone: 226-600-9329
Carizon Family and Community Center
Debbi Engel
Phone: 519-743-6333
Email: promise@carizon.ca
Categories: News
