March 20th, 2022

Yesterday several members of the Mosque in Mississauga stopped an attack on the Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre during dawn prayer. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. Still, this terrifying act happened in a place of worship here in Ontario, in a neighbouring community. This act has led to feelings of vulnerability to members of the Muslim community including those here in Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) students, staff and families.

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. To assist parents and caregivers as they support their children and our students, we have a number of resources available:

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

Aligned Health

Sanjay Govindraj MSW, RSW, MAES

Muslim Chaplaincy of Wilfred Laurier

Selda Sezen, Muslim Chaplaincy of Laurier

Ghazala Fauzia

MA, MSW, RSW

Carizon Family and Community Center:

Debbi Engel

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