Trump's travel restrictions force Toronto schools to stop trips to the US

Mar 24 2017, 6:44 pm

The Toronto District School Board announced yesterday that it will no longer approve trips to the United States. The decision was made following the country’s new travel restrictions travel restrictions at its borders.

“No student or staff trips to the US will be booked until further notice,” reads a statement published yesterday by TDSB education director John Malloy, whose board governs 451 elementary schools, 110 secondary schools.

Twenty-four school trips that have already been approved, which involve around 800 students, will be allowed to proceed.

“We can allow school trips to the US to continue assuming that every student is able to cross the border — as we believe is likely the case based on all the information we have available to us. Or, we can cancel these trips, knowing that students who have worked hard to reach international competitions and/or planned and fundraised for months in anticipation would miss out on these opportunities,” wrote Malloy about the “difficult choice.”

While courts have suspended President Donald Trump’s executive order on travel restrictions, the uncertain outcome of the situation is forcing many school boards to consider reducing the risk of wasting time, money, and resources in planning trips if students will be turned away at the border.

“It is my hope that our students, staff and parents will understand and support this difficult decision,” wrote Malloy. “We feel it strikes a balance between our equity and inclusion commitments as a school board, while not cancelling already-approved trips for which a financial loss would be incurred.”

The Toronto Catholic District School Board will continue with trips to the United States but is monitoring the situation.

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