TORONTO – The decision last week by the Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers – which found Paul Fromm guilty of professional misconduct and stripped him of his teaching certificate for his participation in white supremacist events – has been welcomed by B’nai Brith Canada and Canadian Jewish Congress. This ruling represents the first time that the body that overseas Ontario’s teachers took disciplinary action against a teacher for activities conducted outside of the classroom.

“This case is not about [Fromm’s] right to hold political views that are unpopular or to participate in legal political activities,” read the decision. “It is about whether a teacher who publicly expresses views which are contrary to the values of the profession and the education system and which have a negative impact on the education system, is entitled to be a member of this college.”

“The Ontario College of Teachers has rightly signaled that educators who participate in racist events or publicly espouse views contrary to Canadian values of tolerance and mutliculturalism – both inside and outside the classroom – will be held accountable for their actions,” said Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith Canada’s executive vice president. “Teachers have the power to influence young minds and we must guard against potential abuses.”

The case of Paul Fromm, a one-time Peel Board of Education teacher, is well known to B’nai Brith. In late 1996, the League for Human Rights, along with a local synagogue in Peel Region, the Halton-Peel B’nai Brith Lodge and the local multicultural association, initiated proceedings to have Fromm removed from the Peel Board of Education for violating terms of his contract prohibiting him from engaging in activities contrary to the board’s multicultural and multi-ethnic policies. The league provided videotape and printed evidence that Fromm continued his activities despite a 1993 Ministry of Education finding and board warning. In addition, the league, the Halton-Peel lodge and a local rabbi briefed a coalition of area clergy, who subsequently spoke out on the issue. The league also presented its evidence formally to the Peel board.

These actions by the league followed decades of Fromm’s associations with some of the most infamous racist groups active in Canada. In 1992 a video obtained by the Toronto Sun showed Fromm, flanked by a Nazi swastika, speaking to racists at a Heritage Front meeting.

“It was inconceivable to us that such an individual who was part and parcel of the white supremacist circuit and who clearly espoused their hate-filled agenda could then be put in charge of students, with the power to impact on their attitudes and beliefs,” said Dimant, recounting the league’s early involvement in exposing Fromm.

As a result of these grassroots initiatives, the Peel board gave notice to Fromm that the board of trustees would terminate his contract. Fromm then retained Victoria lawyer Doug Christie, who made numerous representations to the board. Fromm also spoke in his own defence, challenging technical aspects of the case.

After years of Fromm’s holding up the proceedings, the college last week stripped Fromm of his license to teach in Ontario.

This decision was championed by Jewish and human rights groups, amongst them B’nai Brith Canada and Canadian Jewish Congress, which also took an early stand in exposing Fromm.

“We commend the college for clearly stating that the actions of teachers outside the classroom have a deep and significant impact on students and their families as well as on the teaching profession and the education system as a whole,” said Frank Bialystok, Canadian Jewish Congress Ontario chair.

Despite the proceedings before the College, Fromm has found other forums to advance his view – including white pride Internet sites and a regular radio show. Just last month the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed a resolution banning Paul Fromm and Alexan Kulbashian (the latter was found liable for hate-filled Internet postings) from Parliament Hill during the present session after they tried to hold a press conference there.

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