On Friday, Jan. 16, the TDSB announced the abrupt removal of teachers Ray Hopkin and Bob Comendador from Bowmore Junior and Senior Public School. In the letters sent to caregivers of students in the two teachers’ classes, the TDSB did not provide a reason or rationale for the removal. Bowmore’s principal was also removed on the same day. And the next week one of two vice-principals was also removed.

Mr. Hopkin and Mr. Comendador are two of Bowmore’s most beloved and dedicated teachers, who not only have stellar reputations as educators but also give back to the Bowmore community through significant extra-curricular involvement. Mr. Hopkin has been at the school since 2018 and was the senior and junior flag rugby coach. And Mr. C has been at the school since 2011 and has been involved in a myriad of extra-curriculars including:

In fact, Mr. C was in the middle of coaching the girls volleyball team when he was removed from the school. Both teachers are contract action team members of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto (“ETT”), and Mr. Hopkin is a union steward.

In a statement made to TorontoToday , the ETT confirmed that Mr. Hopkin and Mr. Comendador had been unjustly terminated and that ETT has filed grievances in response to the two terminations. ETT President Helen Victor’s confirmed “[ETT is also] providing support as well as all possible resources to challenge this unjust action and return these members to their school and students as soon as possible.”

Ray and Bob are leaders for staff and students and it is extremely destabilizing for our community for this termination to have taken place so abruptly in the middle of the school year.

Why did this happen? Here is what we know.

In September of last year, the TDSB and school administrators revoked the “pod” model — also known as the “co-teaching” model — for grades 7 and 8. As was widely covered by media at the time, many parents, caregivers, and community members believed the change had *not* been properly communicated or executed. Mr. Hopkin and Mr. Commendador had, as of the conclusion of the previous school year (2024-25), constituted a teaching “pod,” and as such continued to pursue the co-teaching method for a portion of September, in keeping with 10-plus years of established pedagogical practice at Bowmore.

We can only assume, given these teachers’ exemplary records and years of experience, that their removal from Bowmore is related to their co-teaching last fall. On that basis, we believe that the TDSB has, in effect, penalized the two teachers for continuing to employ a teaching model that, at the time of its sudden, unilateral and poorly executed revocation, was standard, proven, and well supported by the community. In our view, this is an egregious overreach that not only unfairly targets these teachers but also exacts a needless cost on grade 7 and 8 students, who now face the abrupt mid-year loss of their dedicated educators, as well as loss of key staff sponsors of important extracurricular activities that students love and benefit from.

Please join fellow parents, caregivers and concerned community members in pledging financial assistance to Ray and Bob as they prepare for an indefinite period of financial uncertainty and personal and professional turmoil, which neither deserves nor has been able to plan for.

** NOTE THIS GOFUNDME IS NOT ORGANIZED BY THE TEACHERS THEMSELVES, BUT BY MEMBERS OF THE BOWMORE COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO HELP AND SUPPORT RAY AND BOB WHILE THEY NAVIGATE THIS UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE **