A polarizing trustee on the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has resigned, citing “toxicity both outside and within the Board.”
Nili Kaplan-Myrth, who represented a zone that covered parts of Centretown and Alta Vista, said in a statement on social media that she faced “vile harassment, defamation, death threats,” as well as “unrelenting antisemitism targeting my family and me.”
“External challenges include organized disinformation campaigns, radicalized groups disrupting our work, and chronic underfunding of public education,” said Kaplan-Myrth. “Internally, the OCDSB suffers from profound dysfunction.”
“It failed to adequately address the Jew hate directed at me, instead demonizing me for calling out its silent complicity.”
Kaplan-Myrth, a family doctor, has been involved in several controversial incidents that have occurred on Ottawa’s English-language public school board over the past few years. Last year, Donna Blackburn, the trustee in Barrhaven, faced sanctions and was required to undergo antisemitism training following complaints made by Kaplan-Myrth accusing Blackburn of making hateful comments toward the Jewish community.
Previously, Kaplan-Myrth was also sanctioned herself in 2023 by a unanimous vote after an investigation into a text conversation with another trustee prompted complaints that she violated the board’s code of conduct.
More recently, Kaplan-Myrth became embroiled in controversy after describing a presenter’s keffiyeh as an “act of aggression” during an April board meeting, which sparked criticism and an activist campaign resulting in more than 16,000 letters sent to the board’s chair that called for Kaplan-Myrth to be disciplined.
In her statement, Kaplan-Myrth said trustees “weaponize” code of conduct complaints, which only serves as a distraction for the board.
“This dysfunction harms students, staff, and public trust,” she wrote.
Kaplan-Myrth also noted the ongoing investigation by the provincial education ministry into the board’s financial situation and suggested it should “also investigate its dysfunctional government,”
Earlier this year, the provincial government assumed control of the Thames Valley District School Board in London, citing financial mismanagement, and passed legislation last week to increase oversight of school boards across the province.
“What’s happening in Ottawa isn’t unique,” said Kaplan-Myrth. “Public education needs advocates, but no one should endure this harassment to serve their community.”
In 2022, Kaplan-Myrth was elected trustee in zone nine by 1,728 votes. The next municipal elections are scheduled for Oct. 26, 2026.
