(June 29, 2023) The Canadian Association of University Teachers expresses its shock and profound grief over the violent attack on a professor and two students at the University of Waterloo yesterday.

“Our sincere sympathies go out to the professor, the student victims, and their families.  We wish everyone a full and quick recovery from their injuries,” said CAUT executive director David Robinson.

Yesterday, a professor and two students were stabbed by an assailant during a gender issues class on campus. Investigators have declared the incident to be a hate-motivated crime.

“Classrooms need to be places where the physical safety of faculty and students is secure and where the exploration of diverse opinions and perspectives can be encouraged,” said Robinson. “There is no room for misogyny, transphobia, or any form of hate.”

Robinson notes the attack comes at a time when professors teaching gender studies and anti-racism courses have been targeted by so-called “anti-woke” activists and politicians across North America.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers is the national voice of more than 72,000 academic and general staff across the country.