U of T prof apologizes after antisemitic cartoons used in lecture

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OTTAWA — The dean of the U of T’s school of dentistry has stepped aside after a pair of antisemitic cartoons made their way into a student lecture.

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A statement issued by Dr. Anil Kishen, named the U of T’s dean of the school of dentistry last summer, said that his use of the cartoons was not intentional.

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“Last night I became aware that two cartoon images that I included in a recent lecture contained discriminatory imagery,” read an email sent to the U of T’s dentistry faculty on Thursday.

“I selected these images as visual analogies for two concepts. I was not trying to make any political statements with these images. I say this not as an excuse for this mistake.”

Dean steps aside, offers apology

Kishen said he recognizes the cartoons caused a “great deal of harm,” and is deeply sorry.

“I condemn antisemitism and discrimination in all their forms,” he wrote in his statement.

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“I am also committed to improving my own understanding and awareness of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, including how they may present themselves in the learning environment.”

One of the cartoons consisted of a caricature of a human with its face painted like the Palestinian flag, entangled by tight cords of rope and an Israeli flag.

In the version used in Kishen’s lecture, however, the Star of David in the Israeli flag was removed.

The second cartoon, featuring a hook-nosed man relaxing in a money-filled swimming pool emblazoned with the word “IMMUNITY,” was used on a slide referencing immunological modulation.

Google image searches show this image used frequently in professional slide decks and websites, including a 2013 presentation on natural hazard mitigation posted to the website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)

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Dr. Kishen’s online biography says he joined the U of T as an associate professor in August 2009 after six years teaching at the National University of Singapore.

He’s described as a prolific researcher with dozens of academic and professional papers published in numerous medical journals.

Universities hotbed for hatred, antisemitism

Canadian universities have been ground-zero for Canada’s explosion of anti-Jewish hatred.

Mere days after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks that saw scores of Palestinian terrorists conduct a campaign of sexual assault, murder and kidnapping against Gaza-adjacent Israeli communities, anti-Israel activists here in Canada launched their own campaign of intimidation marches, rallies and demonstrations on the streets of Canada’s cities, including through Toronto’s Jewish neighbourhoods.

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Numerous schools, including the University of Toronto, hosted long-lasting anti-Israel “encampments” meant to intimidate.

In his July 2024 ruling on the U of T’s encampments, Superior Court Justice Markus Koehnen noted “incidents of hate speech and physical harassment of people, predominantly but not exclusively directed at people wearing kippahs or some other indicator of Jewish identity in the general vicinity of the encampment.”

As well, Jewish medical students, physicians and medical professionals report being specifically targeted by anti-Israel activists, facing daily discrimination and harassment.

Dean on leave pending investigation: U of T

In a statement, the U of T confirmed Dr. Kishen is on leave pending an investigation and has agreed to fully cooperate.

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“The Dean reports that he used these images without appreciating the antisemitic and discriminatory meanings, and their negative impact on Jewish colleagues and students and the broader learning environment,” the statement read.

“He has also committed to exercising greater diligence in reviewing course materials to support an inclusive and respectful learning environment for all, and to improving his understanding and awareness of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.”

The statement also states that Kishen offered an apology to students and faculty.

Josh Landau of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) told the Sun the images only exacerbate the hate and hostile atmosphere Jewish university students experience every day.

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“For Jewish students already navigating an increasingly hostile campus climate across Canada, this incident reinforces a painful message — that antisemitism and extreme anti-Zionist rhetoric can permeate our university classrooms,” Landau said.

“Universities must be environments where every student can pursue their education free from hostility and fear.”

Landau pointed out that the dean agreed to step down pending an investigation, and offered an apology.

“CIJA stands ready to engage constructively with the University to ensure this moment results in meaningful change,” he added.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com

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