HAMILTON, ON: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that lawyers for Catherine Kronas have written to Ontario Minister of Education, the Honourable Paul Calandra, urging him to introduce legislation to prevent political censorship by school boards.
In May 2025, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board suspended Ms. Kronas, a parent and elected School Council member, for respectfully objecting to land acknowledgements at a public meeting.
The detailed letter urges amendments to the Supporting Children and Students Act (Bill 33) to ensure “that public school boards are not permitted to engage in political censorship. Such an amendment would protect the Charter rights of students and parents while focusing schools on their core mandate: education.”
Ms. Kronas was re-elected to her local School Council of Ancaster High Secondary School in October 2024. During a Council meeting on April 9, 2025, she respectfully objected to the imposition of a land acknowledgment and requested that her objection be noted in the minutes.
In response, the Board informed her on May 22 that her participation in Council activities was being “paused” based on allegations that she had caused harm and had violated a Code of Conduct policy.
Ms. Kronas was unsettled by the Board’s decision, saying, “I was taken aback by the Board’s decision to suspend me from the School Council after delivering a respectful objection, especially given assurances made at a previous council meeting and outlined in the Council bylaws that open dialogue and diverse perspectives are welcomed.”
Ms. Kronas’ lawyers warned the Board in a June 4 letter that its actions were both unconstitutional and procedurally unfair. The Board acknowledged receipt of the letter on June 6, but has not yet provided a substantive response.
Given the Board’s failure to act, the Minister is being called upon to intervene in defence of Ms. Kronas and to uphold the Charter by amending relevant legislation.
“There is no valid reason for school boards to engage in political censorship,” said constitutional lawyer Hatim Kheir.
“It infringes on the constitutionally protected rights of parents and students, and distracts from their mission of educating youth,” he remarked.
Ms. Kronas said that, by barring her from upcoming meetings, “the Council sends a troubling message to all parents: that even respectful disagreement may be met not with dialogue, but with disciplinary action.”
