The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has launched an investigation into a teacher who allegedly showed “a portion of a violent video” of the killing of American Conservative activist Charlie Kirk to Grade 5 and 6 students on Thursday.
The TDSB on Friday evening shared with CP24 a letter sent by the principal of Corvette Junior Public School to parents when asked about reports that the video was allegedly shown to the French Immersion Grade 5/6A students.
“During class, students were said to have been shown a portion of a violent video in response to questions being asked about a recent tragic event in the United States,” Principal Jennifer Koptie wrote in the letter.
She said the clip was shown once by a staff member supervising the class and not the homeroom teacher.
“While an investigation must still be conducted to learn all of the details, the report of this incident is extremely troubling and completely unacceptable,” Koptie wrote.
She informed parents that the school took immediate steps, relieving the teacher of all responsibilities pending the outcome of the investigation. Koptie added that the teacher will not be in school.
She said social work support would have been made available to the school on Friday, and planned to visit the class to check in with the students and provide support.
“I also want to assure you that our top priority is supporting students,” Koptie said.
On Friday, U.S. authorities took a 22-year-old Utah man into custody in the death of Kirk, who was shot while speaking before hundreds of people at Utah Valley University, the previous day. It was the first stop of the 31-year-old’s “American Comeback Tour.”
The suspect, Tyler Robinson, was arrested on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offences. He was expected to be formally charged on Tuesday ahead of an initial court appearance.
With files from The Associated Press
