By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban
The Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB) continues to remain silent as vice-chairman Allison Saunders faces calls for accountability after sharing social media posts this summer that were widely condemned as antisemitic and anti-Israel. Despite repeated outreach from community members and The Suburban, LBPSB leadership has not addressed the situation publicly or clarified whether any disciplinary action will be taken.
The controversy began when Saunders shared a translated French-language post on her personal Facebook page that used derogatory language about Jews, including terms that implied Jews are perpetrators of genocide. The post also criticized Quebec leaders for a lack of empathy, expressed “shame” over the province’s perceived hostility toward Muslims and Arabs, and ultimately blamed “the ultra-rich” as the root cause of societal issues.
After her posts came under fire, Saunders acknowledged that her actions “caused harm for members of the Jewish community” and insisted she does “not condone antisemitism or any form of hate.” Still, she maintained in an interview with The Suburban that she stands by the content of the post.
Raquel Lobaton, a teacher and parent at John Rennie High School who works with the Foundation for Genocide Education, told The Suburban how damaging Saunders’ actions were. “It’s disturbing that someone representing LBPSB would post such material,” Lobaton said. “Our community is diverse, and we have a duty to stand against hate in any form—especially when it comes from those elected to serve all families. This isn’t just about a single post. It’s about the message it sends to students, staff, and Jewish families like mine.”
Lobaton noted that Saunders eventually deleted the original post and issued what she called “an apology that is not really an apology,” but the damage had already been done. “She tried to frame her response as compassionate, but her post was anything but. Calling legitimate concerns ‘tattling’ is dismissive. This isn’t about creating division; it’s about holding our leaders to the standards they claim to uphold.”
Saunders herself referred to the apology as a “side apology” to appease the “complainers”.
To seek clarification, The Suburban emailed Judith Kelley, chair of the Council of Commissioners, directly asking whether the LBPSB stood by Saunders’ comments and what disciplinary measures had been taken. The email also questioned whether the board’s silence signalled acceptance of Saunders’ actions. Kelley did not respond.
Instead, LBPSB spokesperson Darren Becker replied, stating that Saunders had issued an apology that, according to him, had not been removed. When informed that the apology he referenced was not the same as the one initially posted and that Saunders had since taken down her original apology — no further clarification was provided.
Saunders herself, after reading the published article, told The Suburban that she had not used Google Translate and that she posted the full translation of the French post, not selectively highlighting any particular elements.
LBPSB leadership has not addressed whether Saunders’ actions conflict with the board’s stated values or if she will be held accountable. The ongoing silence from the board sends a message of its own — one that many in the community interpret as tacit acceptance, or at best indifference, toward the spread of antisemitic rhetoric by those in leadership positions. n