Ontario Teacher Investigated for Comments on Critical Race Theory Won’t Lose Her Licence

Chanel Pfahl Courtesy of Chanel Pfahl

A teacher who was investigated by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) for her comments against the promotion of critical race theory (CRT) in schools is allowed to keep her teaching licence after the college decided not to move her case to a disciplinary hearing.

In a tweet on Feb. 15, former high school teacher Chanel Pfahl announced that the OCT has completed its nearly year-long investigation without a finding of guilt, and chose instead to administer a brief “oral caution.”

“GOOD NEWS: the Ontario College of Teachers has officially concluded their investigation, and my teaching licence remains intact,” she said. “They delivered a 2 minute ‘oral caution’ this morning, and that was that.”

Pfahl, who used to work as a science teacher at the MonAvenir Catholic School Board, said she was grateful to the lawyers at The Democracy Fund (TDF) for defending her. “Thanks to @TDF_Can for representing me throughout this ordeal,” she wrote.

In a news release on Feb. 17, the TDF said its lawyers have been advancing the position that Pfahl’s comments should not attract regulatory scrutiny and that she was within her rights to make those comments.

“We have maintained, and continue to maintain, that public comments by professionals about their profession should not typically attract scrutiny from a regulator,” said TDF Senior Litigator Mark Joseph.

“Often people in the nursing, psychiatric, teaching, legal or medical professions are the best situated to comment on matters of public interest relevant to their professions: the threat of disciplinary sanction will suppress their speech and deprive the public of their insights. And that is bad for a liberal democracy.”

‘Schools Should Be Nonpartisan’

It all started in February 2021 after Pfahl posted a comment and video link on a private teachers’ Facebook group in response to another teacher’s post asking the group to share Black Lives Matter (BLM) resources to be used in class for Black History Month.

Pfahl commented at the time that “kids aren’t in school to be indoctrinated with critical race theory.”

“Schools should be nonpartisan,” she wrote. “Focus on modelling kindness to everyone and speak out against any form of discrimination you see. This includes the discrimination brought on by antiracist movements (i.e., all white people are racists, etc.). In some places (ex. Britain), it is now illegal to teach CRT without offering a balanced opposing view.”

The video Pfahl posted was of British Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch rising in Parliament in October 2020 during the BLM protests to condemn CRT in schools and assert that the Tory government “stands unequivocally against critical race theory.”

Pfahl told The Epoch Times previously that her intention to share her perspective was not welcomed by some in the group. Within minutes after her posts, she received backlash from at least 10 teachers, with some comments accusing her of upholding “white supremacy.”

A formal complaint was immediately lodged against her that led to a month-long investigation by her school board. In March 2021, she was suspended for a week without pay.

On March 15, 2022, she was informed by the OCT that they too had begun an investigation after the same complainant, who is a teacher, escalated the complaint to the college. Pfahl, who quit her position in August 2021, said her teaching licence was at stake.

‘Voice of Reasonable Dissent’

The TDF is pleased that the college did not proceed with a disciplinary hearing, according to Joseph.

“We are, of course, pleased with the outcome since it allows our client to return to teaching with no disciplinary issues,” he said.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Joseph said the college’s “oral caution” to Pfahl concerns the use of social media platforms to express one’s views.

“The OCT went over some rules they have about social media usage. Their concern, we understood, was that teachers not offer opinionated comments on school curriculum,” he said.

The OCT said it could not provide details about Pfahl’s case when asked to confirm the content of her Feb. 15 tweet.

“By law, the College cannot comment on an investigation, or confirm or deny whether an investigation is ongoing,” said spokesperson Gabrielle Barkany in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times on Feb. 17.

“The Investigation Committee does not make findings of professional misconduct. Decisions of that committee, aside from referrals to the Discipline Committee, are not published.”

Pfahl said in the TDF release that she’s happy with the result despite the “lengthy” investigation and “unnecessary ordeal.”

“Being a voice of reasonable dissent should not result in punishment by a regulator,” she said.