Who was Richard Bilkszto? Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, Cause of Death

Richard Bilkszto Wiki - Richard Bilkszto Biography

After being charged with aiding white supremacy for calling out a black instructor during anti-racism training, a Toronto school administrator committed suicide. The conflict with an anti-racism trainer led to workplace bullying for Richard Bilkszto, 60, who spent 24 years working for the Toronto School District. He was fill-in principal at the Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke at the time.

He sued earlier this year, alleging that his reputation had been "systematically demolished" and that he had been called a white supremacist for comments he had made regarding racism in Canada. However, on July 13, his attorney Lisa Bildy stated on Twitter that Bilkszto had committed suicide. She stated in a lengthy statement, "Unfortunately, the stress and effects of these incidents continued to plague Richard." "Last week, he gave in to this anguish.

Richard Bilkszto Age

Richard Bilkszto was 60 years old.

Richard Bilkszto Cause of Death

"His family and friends have been left feeling and wishing they could have had the opportunity to persuade him that he was loved, respected, and needed here," the statement continues. Bilkszto's issues began on April 26, 2021, when teachers from the Toronto District School Board participated in anti-racism training that was delivered by Kike Ojo-Thompson, the company's founder and founder of the KOJO Institute.

According to the Toronto Star, Bilkszto said in his lawsuit that Ojo-Thompson informed teachers that Canada could be seen as more racist than the US since it "never reckoned with The principal, who had previously worked as a high school teacher in Buffalo, New York, disagreed. According to the lawsuit, Ojo-Thompson responded "with vitriol" when he replied that implying that the US is a more just nation than Canada would be "an incredible disservice to our learners."

She apparently reacted angrily when the principal appeared to belittle a black woman. Ojo-Thompson allegedly remarked, "We are here to talk about anti-black racism, but you in your whiteness think that you can tell me what's really going on for black people." The complaint added While acknowledging that there existed anti-black racism in Canada, Bilkszto tried to diffuse the situation by asserting that the facts showed "we are a far more just society" than the US.

However, Ojo-Thompson allegedly brought up the controversy once more the following week at another session, characterising it to Bilkszto and his colleagues as a "real life" example of someone embracing white supremacy. The lawsuit asserts that as a result, Bilkszto experienced workplace bullying that resulted in'severe emotional distress,' necessitating the need for him to seek a stress leave.

He made a "mental stress injury" claim with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Canada, and they gave him two months' worth of lost wages. Ojo-Thompson's behaviour was deemed to be "abusive, egregious, and vexatious" and to "rise to the level of workplace harassment and bullying" by the board after it looked into Bilkszto's charges.

However, after he returned from his six-week medical vacation, the Toronto school system refused to renew Bilkszto's contract, which he claimed was because of either his damaged reputation or the board's investigation. The Star claims that Bilkszto has continued to be involved in the community over the past few months, frequently speaking out against the district's initiatives to address unfairness.

Since then, the school board has acknowledged Bilkszto's passing without mentioning his unwinnable case. The letter congratulated the principal for his 24 years of service and for coming back to serve as interim principal in 2021 after a brief retirement. Ryan Bird, a spokesman for the Toronto District School Board, issued a statement saying, "Our hearts go out to Richard's family and loved ones."

He "was a strong advocate for students" and "worked tirelessly to create an environment that fostered student success for students of all ages," especially for those in adult and alternative education. Additionally, KOJO sent a written condolence message. The institute said in that statement to the Star that any contact with specific employees was "brief" and that they were "not involved" in any investigation by the school board or WSIB. In the past, the institute has refuted Bilkszto's claims, claiming that the complaint presents "an inaccurate and incomplete picture" of what took place during the training session.