The Canadian Constitution Foundation recently announced that it has been granted intervenor status in the Ontario government’s appeal of a decision that found legislation requiring teachers to pass a new math proficiency test (MPT) constituted unconstitutional racial discrimination.

Wait, what? Yes, that is an actual ruling now being appealed.

Here’s some more background information (learn more in our release):

In response to declining math scores, the Ontario government developed policies in 2018 that included all new teacher candidates successfully complete a MPT before they were certified.

These tests were reviewed for bias and cultural insensitivity before they were administered. However, data showed that candidates who identified as non-white failed the test at significantly higher rates than white candidates.

A group called Ontario Teachers Candidates’ Council (OTCC) successfully argued in Ontario’s Divisional Court that the disparities in outcome by race showed a violation of section 15(1) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

That’s right, the absurd (and successful) claim here was that these math tests were racist.

Unfortunately, the unequal outcomes of the testing were enough for the Divisional Court.

We at the CCF think this is a simply absurd argument that abuses the Charter and prevents elected governments from legislating education policy to their employees.

It is not an unreasonable policy to require teachers be competent in mathematics.

And we know most Canadians agree…