A Toronto public school has removed a billboard with a Mother’s Day message on it that was chosen by grade 6 students because it offended a member of the community.
Charlotte Dobo, a Toronto mother and blogger who has four children who do not attend Kew Beach Junior Public School, reported being offended by the message posted on an outdoor display board at the school.
The message read: “Life does not come with a manual. It comes with a mom,” according to a May 9 report by CP24.
Dobb posted to a Facebook group stating, “I don’t know if this is a terribly misguided attempt at wishing folks a happy Mother’s Day or just generally the worst sign possible.”
“I don’t feel like this represents the neighbourhood it’s in, the cohort of families at this school, or anything really,” she wrote.
She told reporters it should have been a “no-brainer” to post a more inclusive message.
Ryan Bird, spokesman for The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) told The Epoch Times that the sign was put up on May 8 and “taken down” on May 9 after some community members objected to it.
“While the school was trying to be responsive to some parents and community members by adjusting the sign, it will continue to mark Mother’s Day, along with other classrooms across the TDSB. There has been no central direction otherwise,” Bird said via email.
Another TDSB representative elaborated on the origin of the billboard, saying it was created by the students.
“Grade 6 students at Kew Beach came up with the first quote collectively as they prepare for Mother’s Day this weekend, to share how much they care for and depend on their moms,” TDSB spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz told CP24.
“Upon feedback, the school recognized that this quote does not reflect the inclusivity of our community, and took immediate steps to address the issue. The sign has now been updated with a new message of an encouraging acronym for May,” she said.
The sign was then changed to read: “M: Make this month count. A: Accoplish [sic] your goals. Y: You can do this,” including a spelling error in the word “accomplish.”
