To help contain the spread of COVID-19, the Parent Involvement Committee meetings for the 2020-21 school year will be held virtually.

Members of the public can continue to participate in the meeting by submitting public questions electronically to [email protected]. Questions must be submitted during the scheduled meeting time between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Following the meeting, Parent Involvement Committee will provide an email response to all questions.​

A statement from the Parent Involvement Committee co-chairs regarding t​​​​​​​he Ministry of Education's report on Peel District School Board's Review. ​​​​

The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) is a committee made up of parents, community members, trustees, the director of education and board staff. PIC works very hard to promote parent involvement at the Peel District School Board (PDSB). According to the principles of a public education system, parent involvement in the education system is essential. PIC will always advocate for a seat at the table to help make the PDSB a beacon for public education.

On March 13, 2020, the Ministry of Education released its final report on the (PDSB)'s review.  PIC would like to thank the three independent reviewers Ena Chadha, Suzanne Herbert and Shawn Richard, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Ministry's Educational Equity Secretariat Patrick Case and other ministry and board staff involved in this undertaking. We are also grateful to the students, parents and community members whose candid input was vital for this report. PIC would like parents to know that we find the concerns raised in the report very concerning, but not surprising.

On March 5, 2020, at PIC's general meeting, members heard from parent advocates from the Peel Black community regarding their concerns. They expressed their concerns regarding the Board's decision to call the police and how this action further isolated Black parents as a whole. They thought that the Board used this tactics to shut down and shut out Black parents from access to public meetings at PDSB. PIC also heard that Black parents feel their voice does not have a lot of weight at PDSB, and encouraged PIC to support all parents on an equity model. They urged PIC to help them bring their concerns to the Board's leadership. It was troubling to know that PIC was thought to not be an ally to the Black parent and non-responsive to the needs of the most marginalized parents of PDSB and we recognize this has to change.

PIC realizes that we have not fairly done the work of "hearing the personal truths about the machinations and magnitude of racism within the PDSB" (pg. 20). We acknowledge that our initiatives, while important, did not equitably focus or recognize the needs of Black families and students of PDSB. We commit to advocate for all Peel families and support initiatives that combat anti-Black racism.

We understand the gravity of the systemic issues and after receiving this report, we are determined, as per the reviewer's recommendation, that PIC "should be better leveraged to encourage parents". PIC intends to use this report in laying the groundwork to implement positive changes.

It is our resolve that PIC will advocate for strategies that equitably speak for all parents at PDSB. PIC recognizes the sacrifice Black parents have made in their advocacy. We are thankful for their work to help make PDSB a safe place for all students and will provide stronger support to Black parents going forward. ​

Parent Involvement Committee's statement regarding reference to McCrimmon Middle School as McCriminal

A comment referring to McCrimmon Middle School as McCriminal has come to the public's attention in early fall.

As the Parent Involvement Committee, we acknowledge the negative and problematic nature of the comment. We also acknowledge the harm it has caused to the McCrimmon community, as well as to Black families within and outside of Peel.

We hope the Peel District School Board will continue with its focus on equity and inclusion and remain steadfast in its commitment to address anti-Black racism and all forms of prejudice.

Our mandate as the Parent Involvement Committee is to champion parent engagement—we look forward to supporting any initiatives engaging Peel parents on addressing anti-Black racism.