The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is actively working to address antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate by engaging dedicated professionals like Jewish Equity Instructional Coach Brian Kom and Student Support Coordinator for Racialized Students Nabil Ahmed. Together, they strive to create safer, more inclusive school environments across the city.

The last few years have, unfortunately, led to higher tensions between students of all backgrounds as global events have an impact on their day-to-day lives. Like all people, students have biases and convictions that are sometimes at odds with those of others. 

While a normal part of the human experience, it is critical to learn how to cope with opinions that may be drastically different from our own and to coexist.

“After October 7th, it felt like … some people were of the mistaken belief that certain groups were on certain sides and couldn’t talk to each other,” said Kom. “One thing we’ve done to try and foster connection is to show up together and to show that [interacting together] is normal.”

Both Kom and Ahmed also spoke to the fact that students don’t necessarily get to hear perspectives from outside their communities or social media feeds.

“We really lean into student agency and having them voice their opinions and intentions,” said Ahmed. “It went a long way where students were able to listen to one another and … have a better understanding of the purpose and intention of some of their actions.”

Last year, a lot of their work had to do with ensuring students were asking questions and being open to hearing different perspectives. 

“For me, it was about where [the students] are getting their information, and whether sharing that information was fostering an environment where students and staff feel safe, welcome, and included,” said Ahmed. “It is about what their intentions of using that information is, too.”

“When we’re approaching something like this, one thing we both do a lot is listen,” said Kom. “It can be really tempting to talk and lecture in response to something a student has said, but trying to understand where something is originating … is a big part of what we do because it lets us understand how people are connected to this and how they care.”

One of their hopes for this year is to continue breaking down stereotypes and teaching students that Jews, Muslims, Israelis, and Palestinians are not monolithic groups.

“There are a multitude of perspectives in each group,” said Kom. “You don’t just believe anything because you’re of a certain faith or nationality.”

Their work has made a positive impact on their students, with many learning and unlearning things about each other’s faiths.

“The highlight of my work is when we have students coming together and sharing their perspectives … where both sides at the end of that meeting or conversation walk away understanding each other, but also now being able to navigate this,” said Ahmed.

“What success looks like from the Jewish perspective is when I heard that an Israeli student in an elementary school presented their history and culture and was welcomed, or when a school organizes a tour of religious centres and included a synagogue, or when I see Jewish and Israeli students being represented or expressing their identities in their classrooms, on bulletin boards, and in their school hallways,” said Kom.

Both acknowledge that this work must continue and that now is the moment to have these conversations with students and staff. 

To learn more about this critical work, Brian Kom can be reached at [email protected].