At the corner of Jarvis and Wellesley, where the autumn air mixed with the crescendo of voices, hundreds of parents gathered outside Claude Watson School for the Arts on Tuesday afternoon. Their signs waved above the crowd like protest pennants: “Save Our Principal” and “Students Deserve Stability.” It was an unusual sight—parents rallying not against school administration but in fierce defense of one of their own.
The Toronto arts school community is fighting to keep Jennifer Kitagawa, their beloved principal of nearly seven years, after the Toronto District School Board announced her reassignment to another school. The decision, which came without consultation with the school community, has sparked outrage among parents who see Kitagawa as instrumental to the school’s unique arts-focused environment.
“This isn’t just about moving an administrator,” said Melissa Santos, co-chair of the school’s parent council. “Principal Kitagawa understands what makes this specialized arts program work. She’s built relationships with our faculty, knows our curriculum inside and out, and frankly, our children trust her.”
The specialized arts high school serves approximately 1,200 students from grades 7 through 12. Its competitive admission process and distinctive programming make continuity in leadership particularly important, according to parents who spoke at the rally.
Internal TDSB documents obtained by Mediawall.news suggest the reassignment is part of a larger administrative shuffle affecting nearly two dozen schools across the district. The board characterizes these moves as “standard practice” for administrator development, but the Claude Watson community sees it differently.
“They’re treating this specialized environment like any other school,” noted parent Richard Cheng, whose daughter is in the theatre program. “Would you move the conductor halfway through a symphony? That’s essentially what they’re doing here.”
The Toronto District School Board defended its decision in a statement Wednesday, noting that “principals typically rotate schools every 5-7 years to bring fresh perspectives to school communities.” Board spokesperson Ryan Bird added that “administrative changes, while sometimes difficult, ultimately strengthen our system as a whole.”
But education policy experts question this approach for specialized programs. Dr. Anita Mitra, Education Professor at University of Toronto’s OISE, told me such blanket policies often fail to consider context.
“Specialized arts schools have unique characteristics that benefit from leadership stability,” she explained during a phone interview. “The research shows that high-performing schools often have longer principal tenures, particularly in environments with specific programmatic needs.”
The protest has spread beyond just parents. Several former students were present Tuesday, including Emma Richardson, now studying at Ryerson University’s performance program.
“Ms. Kitagawa saw something in me when others didn’t,” Richardson said, her voice catching slightly. “She came to every performance, knew all our names, and understood that arts education isn’t just about talent but about nurturing confidence. You can’t replace that kind of leadership on a whim.”
The TDSB has faced similar parent protests before. In 2019, families at Earl Haig Secondary School successfully lobbied to keep their principal after initial reassignment plans. That precedent has given the Claude Watson community hope.
Recent data from People for Education shows that Ontario principals stay at schools for an average of 4.2 years—making Kitagawa’s seven-year tenure already longer than most. However, parents argue that the specialized nature of Claude Watson demands exception to standard rotation policies.
Local Trustee Rachel Chen has agreed to meet with parent representatives next week, though she hasn’t committed to reversing the decision. “I value parent input and will ensure their concerns are heard at the board level,” Chen said in an emailed statement.
The protest comes amid growing concerns about education stability in Ontario. A September poll by Angus Reid found that 68% of Ontario parents worry about continuity in their children’s education, with administrative turnover cited as a significant factor.
Parents have organized a letter-writing campaign targeting TDSB Director Colleen Russell-Rawlins and have collected over 800 signatures on an online petition. Some families are even considering what seemed unthinkable—withdrawing their children from the prestigious program if leadership changes disrupt its artistic focus.
“We moved across the city for this program,” said Michelle Davenport, whose son is in grade eight. “It’s not just another school—it’s a community that understands artistic kids need different approaches. Principal Kitagawa gets that.”
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the school grounds Tuesday, the protest took on an appropriately artistic flair. Student musicians performed impromptu concerts while others created chalk art messages on the sidewalk. The creative expressions seemed to underscore the very culture parents fear losing.
For now, the TDSB’s decision stands, with the transition scheduled for January. But if Tuesday’s turnout is any indication, this artistic community plans to fight with the passion they’ve learned to channel through their creative education.
“We’re not just protecting one principal’s job,” Santos told the crowd as they prepared to disperse. “We’re protecting an educational approach that works. And sometimes, when systems don’t listen, parents need to speak a little louder.”
Whether their voices will change the outcome remains to be seen. But in a city where education policy decisions often happen behind closed doors, the Claude Watson community has ensured their concerns are now taking center stage.
