In late November 2021, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) superintendent Helen Fisher informed the organizer of a book club event that students would not be permitted to participate in a planned event with Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Yazidi survivor Nadia Murad.
The event was scheduled for February 2022 and was to feature Murad discussing her forthcoming book, The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State, based on her experiences of being kidnapped, enslaved, and abused by Islamic State militants.
Fisher cited concerns that the content of Murad’s book and her participation could foster Islamophobia and be offensive to Muslim students.
The decision by the superintendent drew public responses and debate, and the TDSB later issued a clarification stating that an opinion expressed did not represent the board’s official position and that staff would review the material before making any final determinations.
