How did TDSB mess up its equity policy so badly?

Plus, Ontario's top pathologist under scrutiny and Canadians repatted from a Syrian prison camp [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on an overturned conviction, a TDSB equity initiative that went wrong and Canadians in Syrian prison camps. DON’T MISS Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star star investigation [An expert opinion sent two parents to jail for their daughter’s death. Now the case has fallen apart and Ontario’s top pathologist is under scrutiny — again]( Sean and Maria Hosannah spent eight months in jail for the death of their two-year-old daughter, Matinah, before they were released on bail pending an appeal. Now, amid an accusation that Ontario’s top pathologist “deceived the criminal justice system,” the conviction has been overturned. Dr. Michael Pollanen recently conceded that other explanations for Matinah’s death that he had previously dismissed could not be ruled out. He acknowledged the opinion he gave in court wasn’t sufficiently informed by the medical literature available. Rachel Mendleson reports on the doubts the case casts against the pathologist who was meant to restore public trust — [and where the development leaves the parents](. - Context: Sean and Maria have always maintained their innocence. “We knew all along that this was going to happen eventually, that justice would come,” the father said. - Go deeper: Pollanen’s expert opinion can mean the difference between freedom and imprisonment. But several instances in recent years have raised concerns. In one ongoing case, another pathologist [accused Pollanen of abusing his power to overrule some of his colleagues and change a cause of death to child abuse](. Andrew Francis Wallace/The Star education [Racialized, disabled and LGBTQ students are excluded from a TDSB alternative school lottery due to an error ]( The school board laid it out in an email to parents whose children had entered a lottery for spots in 17 high-demand alternative elementary schools. First, students with siblings at the schools and Indigenous children were allocated spaces. Then, kids from other under-represented communities were prioritized for 25 per cent of the remaining spots. Unexpectedly, however, the lottery for the remaining spots was only open to those who did not identify as being from an under-represented group. The school board blamed the mistake on a “third-party vendor” — and parents are in disbelief. [Brendan Kennedy and Isabel Teotonio report on the fallout and what comes next](. - More: “There’s been systemic discrimination against the students who indicated they were from an equity-seeking group,” one parent said. “The thing that’s crazy is this is what happened when they were trying to implement an equity policy.” - By the numbers: Initially, 11 Indigenous students and 85 siblings accepted spots. Then, 94 kids from under-represented communities got in with the lottery for 25 per cent of spots. The general lottery should have had 260 spots available to all, but the error meant they were only available to white, able-bodied students. However, because some offers were declined, 85 spots remain. Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images star exclusive [With a text message and a code word, Canadians detained in Syrian prison camps start their controversial journey home]( “Cake.” The one-word text signalled that a number of Canadian women and children detained in a Kurdish-run Syrian prison camp on suspicions that they were members of ISIS would finally be heading home. For years, they faced awful conditions — rampant violence, food shortages, disease and little access to education or medical care. [Allan Woods reports on the prisoners’ journeys and the ongoing court battles to force the federal government to bring Canadian citizens back](. - Context: The return to Canada follows a deal brokered by Ottawa lawyer Lawrence Greenspon and government lawyers to repatriate six women and 13 children involved in a Federal Court case. The government is appealing a ruling that it’s legally obligated to also repatriate four Canadian men. - More: Along with the joy of a return, there has also been utter disappointment. Some parents and caregivers have been told by officials that their children can be flown back, but they cannot. “Our kids are in tears, heartbroken,” one of the women said. WHAT ELSE More and more Toronto residents don’t have a family doctor. [Here’s who’s being affected the most](. Why does Doug Ford’s privatization blitz come with [new rules to shield private clinics from public scrutiny]( Saugeen First Nation has won a land claim over Sauble Beach. [Take a look at the decades-long court battle and the impact it will have](. They were supposed to be on the job. Instead, a probe reveals [Ontario workplace inspectors dined in restaurants while billing taxpayers for overtime](. Justin Trudeau doesn’t need to convince voters to like a “grocery rebate.” [His other, bigger rebate is a tougher sell](. Loblaw president Galen Weston got a $1.2 million raise last year — [bumping his annual earnings up to $11.79 million](. “Able to push back against the status quo.” [Former Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes has joined the race to be mayor of Toronto](. [These stories have earned the Toronto Star two nominations from the Canadian Journalism Foundation]( for Jackman Excellence 2023 Awards. [120,000 Hydro One customers were without power]( after storms swept through Ontario. How can safety on the TTC be improved? [Reverse service cuts](. Tech leaders like Elon Musk want a slowdown in AI advances. [Is the world needlessly panicking?]( Strobe lights, synthpop, scavenger hunts: [Here’s what to do in Toronto this weekend, from April 7 to 9](. ICYMI Toronto Star Photo Illustration [Here’s why you’re still getting so many annoying scam phone calls — and how to stop them.]( CLOSE-UP Ontario Superior Court Exhibit TANDRIDGE CRESCENT: The handwritten victim-impact statement of a five-year-old girl who was shot in the head at a toddler's birthday party in Toronto is read aloud in court. [Here’s the latest on the “Baby Shark”-themed party case, and the now seven-year-old’s condition](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_175053). We’ll see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. 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