York Region, ON —
The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) has launched an internal investigation after students across the region received inappropriate and hateful content via email through their school accounts.
In a letter sent to families Tuesday evening, YRDSB confirmed that a Google document containing offensive material was shared with all students through their GAPPS accounts — the board’s Google-based education platform, which includes Gmail and Docs access.
The situation escalated when several students used the “Reply All” function, further spreading the inappropriate messages to peers across the system.
“Upon learning of the issue, we took immediate action and are removing access to the document and contacts,” the board said in the statement. “We are also taking steps to export and delete these emails from student GAPPS accounts.”
The incident reportedly occurred after the school day had ended for most students, limiting immediate on-site response from staff.
York Regional Police have been notified and are conducting a separate investigation into the matter. YRDSB emphasized that any students found responsible for circulating the content may face disciplinary action under the board’s policies.
“We apologize for any hurt or offence this may have caused,” the board wrote. “We understand the content may have had different impacts on students.”
Parents are being urged to delete any remaining emails from their children’s accounts and to contact their child’s school if additional support is needed. The board noted that school staff are ready to connect families with mental health or counseling resources as appropriate.
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Editor’s Note:
This incident raises concerns about digital safety and the use of educational tech platforms among students. YRDSB says it is reviewing protocols to prevent similar breaches in the future.