Council of Agencies Servicing South Asians (CASSA)
Liason: Samaha Kureshi
Project Coordinator: Equity in Education Project
What was the aim of the project, and what progress have you made?
The objective of this project is to establish a nurturing environment for each Muslim student in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), fostering a sense of comfort and safety in their educational surroundings without their religious beliefs compromising the quality of their experience. We take pride in sharing positive outcomes resulting from our dedicated efforts. In recent years, we reached a noteworthy milestone by advocating for and effectively implementing an anti-Islamophobia strategy within both the Peel District School Board and the Toronto District School Board.
What impact did the project have on you and your community?
This project has had a significant impact on our community, fostering a sense of safety among Muslim students and parents. Schools have successfully established a secure environment for both Muslim students and staff. While we have implemented major changes, there is still a long journey ahead, with more areas in our community that require our influence. Much work remains to be done.
What do you envision as the future for this project?
I hope this strategy goes across North America.
Success Stories
One of the most significant successes of this project occurred when the strategy was successfully passed within the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). As the largest school board in Canada, achieving approval in the TDSB made a resounding statement nationwide. The significance of this success is underscored by our year-long efforts to advocate for the strategy since 2021. Finally, after a year of persistent dedication, the strategy was unanimously passed, marking a substantial achievement for our initiative.
