Dedicated Longtime Toronto Educator Takes His Own Life After Bullying From DEI Activists

Dedicated Longtime Toronto Educator Takes His Own Life After Bullying From DEI Activists

The ability of the woke left to passionately but respectfully disagree with those who have opposing views is fast becoming a lost art, but where we see obscene levels of intolerance for differing opinions most often is within the education system—in both public and private grade school institutions as well as higher ed.

Unfortunately, sometimes that intolerance leads to smear campaigns by outrage mobs with the intent of silencing and/or canceling the supposedly offending voice by making them persona non grata in public arena and professional circles.

Oftentimes, the conservatives in academia on the receiving end of cancel culture campaigns fight back with everything they have, not just because the reputation they worked hard for is at stake but also because they care very much about the future and their students and want to see them graduate with the tools they need to succeed in life.

But for a few educators, the pressure becomes too much, the fighting against all odds to regain what they’ve worked tirelessly to achieve overwhelms them, and at some point, they decide that life is not worth living anymore. Tragically, we saw a similar scenario play out in 2020 with conservative UNC-Wilmington Professor Mike Adams.

More recently, former Toronto school principal Richard Bilkszto was found deceased, with the cause being suicide according to his lawyer. Bilkszto, as the National Post reported, was a “dedicated” 24-year veteran of the Toronto school system, serving much of that time as a principal with the Toronto District School Board.

In 2021, however, Bilkszto faced accusations during and after a DEI workshop that he was a white supremacist because he dared to disagree with a prominent DEI proponent on her insistence that Canada’s history of racism was worse than that of the United States.

National Post columnist Jamie Sarkonak wrote a detailed report earlier this month on what happened between Bilkszto and the DEI advocate, and the actions he took later when he didn’t feel supported by his colleagues in the Toronto school system:

In April, principal Richard Bilkszto sued TDSB for its failure to defend him in an allegedly hostile DEI training session that took place in 2021, where it was insinuated that he was a white supremacist for defending Canada as a less-racist place than the United States. TDSB has since sued the company that gave the DEI training, the KOJO Institute, for negligence and for breaching contract — asking for damages in the amount it will need to pay Bilkszto if he wins. Late Thursday afternoon, TDSB told the National Post that it plans to discontinue its lawsuit, though the claim is still active.

[…]

It all began with a DEI course for TDSB administrators that started in April 2021. DEI trainer Kike Ojo-Thompson (the CEO of the KOJO Institute) led a series of sessions for TDSB higher-ups in which she made a number of familiar progressive arguments, according to Bilkszto’s court filing: Canada is a more racist place than the U.S., Canada is a “bastion of white supremacy and colonialism,” capitalism and the patriarchy are killing people, etc. (The KOJO Institute did not respond to requests for comment for this story by deadline.)

[…]

Bilkszto, who had a 24-year career as a principal and previously taught at an inner-city Buffalo school — and witnessed serious differences in how Black and white students were treated there — didn’t think it was fair to call Canada the greater harbourer of racism, according to his court filing. Citing public health care and a more equal funding system for education, he spoke up.

[…]

“To sit here and talk about facts and figures and then walk into the classroom tomorrow and say ‘Canada is just as bad as the United States,’ I think we are doing an incredible disservice to our learners,” he told the class.

Ojo-Thompson is described to have reacted with vitriol: “We are here to talk about anti-Black racism, but you in your whiteness think that you can tell me what’s really going on for Black people?” Bilkszto replied that racism is very real, and that there’s plenty of room for improvement — but that the facts still show Canada is a fairer place. Another KOJO training facilitator jumped in, telling Bilkszto that “if you want to be an apologist for the U.S. or Canada, this is really not the forum for that.” Ojo-Thompson concluded the exchange by telling the class that “your job in this work as white people is to believe” — not to question claims of racism.

[…]

In the next session, Ojo-Thompson is said to have referred to Bilkszto’s comments as an example of “resistance” that upholds white supremacy. She explained that his reference to “facts” was an attempt to derail the conversation and discredit her words, and encouraged everyone to push back when they see others being “accosted by white supremacy.”

… I need scarcely add that Sheryl Robinson Petrazzini, who now tweets at @Director_HWDSB, suffered no repercussions whatsoever. Shortly after helping to lead the shaming of Richard, she skipped over to @HWDSB, where she now serves as education directorhttps://t.co/XIclpdGPPy?

— Jonathan Kay (@jonkay) July 20, 2023

Bilkszto was reportedly a progressive. But to Ojo-Thompson, the fact that he was white and openly expressed disagreement with her was enough to falsely accuse him of racism and to try and make of him an example, allegedly besmirching his good name and reputation in the process.

Though Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board took Bilkszto’s claims of harassment seriously and sided with him, the battle became too much, as Quillette‘s Jonathan Kay explained:

I spoke with Bilkszto several times over the last two years, and he would often email me stories about other Canadians who’d been targeted as heretics. He took a leading role in a group of Toronto educators looking to address the problem of ideological extremism, and brought me in once as a guest speaker in late 2021.

Although Bilkszto and I never met (this was still the COVID era, when almost every meet-up was done over Zoom), we quickly bonded over our shared principles, both of us being traditional urban liberals who’d become concerned by the social-justice fanaticism that now suffused the TDSB.

Yet nothing in my own experience allowed me to fully comprehend the pain that Bilkszto was experiencing. A political progressive who’d devoted more than two decades of his life to the TDSB, Bilkszto never fully recovered from being falsely smeared as a supporter of white supremacy in front of his peers.

My latest, for @Quillette, on the suicide of Richard Bilkszto, a Toronto @tdsb educator who’d been smeared as a racist by @KojoInstitute DEI trainer Kike Ojo-Thompson. One of his bosses, Sheryl Robinson Petrazzini (now @Director_HWDSB), then celebrated his humiliation on Twitter https://t.co/la6cNViJPo

— Jonathan Kay (@jonkay) July 21, 2023

Bilkszto’s attorney, Lisa Bildy, shared a statement Thursday announcing that Bilkszto had committed suicide. The reason, she claimed, was everything he had to endure at that seminar and beyond:

“Unfortunately, the stress and effects of these incidents continued to plague Richard. Last week he succumbed to this distress. His family and friends have been left reeling and wishing they could have had the chance to convince him that he was loved, respected and needed here. May he rest in peace.”

With his family's permission, I am very saddened to release this statement about the passing of my client, Richard Bilkszto. pic.twitter.com/mNzMAxkp5V

— Lisa Bildy (@LDBildy) July 20, 2023

Predictably, Ojo-Thompson, in the aftermath of the news of Bilkszto’s passing, protected her tweets, with the only thing coming out of her organization being the following statement:

“We recently learned of the passing of Mr. Richard Bilkszto. We offer our condolences to his loved ones and colleagues during this difficult time.”

LOL “accountability” “courage” “disruption” pic.twitter.com/mIOCYllNgi

— Jonathan Kay (@jonkay) July 22, 2023

The KOJO Institute Facebook page is currently blocking new comments by only allowing users who have “followed” the page for more than 24 hours to comment:

Bilkszto taking his own life has understandably sparked outrage and calls for an investigation into what led to this tragic result, as well as an effort to hold those involved in the smear campaign against him accountable if nowhere else than in the court of public opinion:

This is a heartbreaking story about DEI destroying a man who devoted his life to helping all students.

The DEI opportunists are hateful racist bullies and the school system was complicit. They killed Richard. https://t.co/LjPxeaNnAZ

— Yiatin Chu (@ycinnewyork) July 22, 2023

Disgrace. Every single TDSB employee should be at the board's offices tomorrow demanding Colleen Russell-Rawlins' immediate resignation. I don't care tonight about her $300K salary. I don't care about her utter lack of accountability. I care that a good family man is dead. https://t.co/VMjzRD7sXj

— Greg Brady (@gregbradyTO) July 21, 2023

This is such awful news. Richard was a guest on @TheAgenda less than 3 months ago on a topic he cared deeply about: merit AND equity in education. The cause of his death should prompt a thorough investigation. #education @tdsb https://t.co/SHJc4VlMyr

— Steve Paikin (@spaikin) July 20, 2023

Hey @fordnation @Sflecce this tragedy needs to be addressed immediately. The @tdsb & @KojoInstitute destroyed this man’s life & must be held accountable for their actions. The Province must hold an inquiry into this case & take legal action against those involved.#ShameOnTheTDSB https://t.co/szi09g2a0u

— Shoshana (@shmeze) July 23, 2023

Thank you for commenting on this Rosie. Given the awful circumstances of what happened to you I’m sure it resonates.

This man was a well respected educator for years. He was thrown under the bus by the Board of Education and humiliated on Twitter. Nobody stood up for him and he…

— QueenMaureen💚🤍💜 (@QueenMaureenGC) July 22, 2023

I've heard many similar stories from friends in academe, though none with as tragic an ending. Can't express hoo much I despise these overpaid, narcissistic, parasitic, authoritarian grievance entrepreneurs. https://t.co/xQHn7MYR04

— Iona Italia, PhD (@IonaItalia) July 22, 2023

Saddened and shocked to hear of Richard’s passing. Board’s that pay lip service to “wellness” and “emotion coaching”, while simultaneously destroying a man’s honour and dignity, should be ashamed of their actions. Richard was a light in a tunnel of edu darkness. https://t.co/IJCswxKKvJ

— Stop Woke Indoctrination (@wokeontschools) July 20, 2023

Liars and bullies within the Toronto District School Board drove this good man to despair. May he rest in peace.

Communist agendas of school unions, school boards, and other ‘educational’ institutions — and the tactics they use to destroy the lives of those who disagree — must… https://t.co/10WerQvQu7

— Billboard Chris 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@BillboardChris) July 21, 2023

A culture of fear prevails in many of our institutions—school boards perhaps more than most. A small contingent of activists with extreme views, packaged as virtuous or necessary (at least initially), beguiles their way in like a Trojan Horse & shames everyone else into silence. https://t.co/1QbDWiy84C

— Lisa Bildy (@LDBildy) July 21, 2023

Richard was a selfless leader. He worked to free the education system of politics & indoctrination. He was shocked when the DEI trainer bullied, harassed & defamed him. He began his lawsuit so that Canadians may speak without fear & intimidation. Let’s keep Richard’s dream alive.

— Carolyn Burjoski (@carolynburjoski) July 20, 2023

Bilkszto’s obituary can be found here. He was 60 years old.

— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —

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