Ongoing equity concerns have once again cast a spotlight on the Peel District School Board (PDSB), as trustee Kathy McDonald publicly refused to support the board’s newly approved $2.2-billion budget, citing unresolved anti-Black racism and unfulfilled human rights commitments. The budget vote on July 2, 2025, took place amid rising scrutiny over the board’s equity record and renewed legal action from a former senior official.
McDonald, a long-standing advocate for equity and inclusion, stated that her refusal to endorse the budget was rooted in persistent failures to address systemic issues, particularly those impacting Black students. “DEI appears to be out of fashion, but to me it is a cornerstone of my modus operandi,” McDonald said during the meeting, expressing frustration that critical human rights issues remain inadequately addressed. She noted that Black students in Peel schools continue to be suspended at disproportionately high rates and that equity work has stalled, despite a provincial mandate.
The concerns come five years after a damning provincial review found systemic anti-Black racism and governance failures at PDSB, leading to the imposition of 27 binding directives from Ontario’s Ministry of Education. According to the board, 25 of those directives have been fully implemented, while two—Directive 19, which mandates the destreaming of early high school courses, and Directive 22, which requires the reduction of racial disparities in suspensions—remain incomplete.
According to the most recent equity progress report, Black students in Peel were still 2.1 times more likely to be suspended than their peers as of May 24, 2024. While slightly improved from December 2023, when the figure stood at 2.2, it remains far above the board’s target of parity.
In parallel to these governance concerns, former associate director Poleen Grewal filed a civil lawsuit against the board on May 27, alleging wrongful dismissal, reputational harm, and violations of her human rights. Grewal was hired in 2017 to lead PDSB’s instructional and equity initiatives. In her statement of claim, she says she faced a hostile work environment, repeated efforts to silence her, and was ultimately scapegoated and terminated for pushing equity reforms following the ministry’s 2019 investigation.
Grewal alleges that senior leaders actively undermined her anti-Black racism work and used anonymous social media attacks to justify her removal. Her lawyer, Paul Champ, confirmed the board has filed a notice of intent to defend and noted that Grewal’s motivation in filing the lawsuit was to expose broader systemic failings, not just personal grievance. “Too many school boards are issuing statements and policies about supporting equity and change, but these are largely empty words that aren’t followed with meaningful action,” said Champ. “Ms. Grewal believes strongly that building a fairer and more equitable community necessarily starts with an equitable education.”
The Peel board has declined to comment on ongoing litigation or human resources matters but reiterated its commitment to the equity reforms mandated by the province. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson noted ongoing partnerships with community groups and the launch of initiatives such as the Black Student Success Strategy and the Community Outreach Plan. The board said it remains committed to building “a transformational and innovative space where all students find ongoing success.”
Trustee McDonald, however, maintains that progress on paper does not yet translate to meaningful change for students on the ground. She continues to advocate for deeper structural reforms and accountability in how the board serves its most marginalized communities.