Responding to the violence in Iran: Holding space for our teaching community
A photo of Mahsa Amini, whose recent detainment and death has sparked protests in Iran | Immerfreshnails, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Drs. Sara Mazrouei and Karyn Olsen, Educational Developers at the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, opened space on campus for TA/GAs and graduate students enrolled in the Graduate Teaching Development Program to gather and discuss wellbeing in challenging times, with an emphasis on the impacts of the ongoing violence in Iran directed toward people protesting the detainment and death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini.
In recent weeks, anti-government protests have occurred throughout Iran, including at Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology and other universities, where students were met with violence from Iranian security forces. Reports cited by the BBC said many students were injured and that 30 to 40 students were arrested (Davies and Gritten, 2022) (external link) . As of October 4, Iran Human Rights (external link) (a non-profit human rights organization in Norway) announced that 154 people across the country have been killed since the protests began. News agencies have ackowledged difficulties in providing full coverage as internet shutdowns and restrictions across the country have affected the flow of information beyond its borders.
The TMU community is home to many International Iranian students, as well as a large diaspora of students, faculty and staff in Toronto. The desire to support Iranian graduate students enrolled in CELT programming led to the gathering at the Centre.
Centre staff were on hand to listen to student stories and perspectives.
"We wanted to create a space where Iranian TA/GAs could talk openly about how they are being affected by the ongoing crisis. The drop-in session provided an opportunity to give voice to the distress, emotional impact, and concerns that the students share."
“This state violence has impacted so many people deeply and personally. At this time, it is crucial that we support our students, instructors and staff, that we listen to the voices and leadership of Iranian women, and that we come together to understand the many forms that solidarity may take as individuals and as members of the learning and teaching community.”
Student Concerns
Participants in the drop-in session raised a number of concerns and experiences that are impacting both their work as TA/GAs and as graduate students.
Impacts of Trauma
People shared the trauma they are experiencing every day as the violence continues to escalate in Iran. They expressed being terrified for the safety of their families, friends, and communities, especially as many are not able to contact family in Iran, and do not know what is happening to them. The deep anxiety caused by the ongoing and increasing violence in Iran has impacted all aspects of their lives, including making it very difficult to engage in their studies, teaching, and research.
Financial Concerns
Students are concerned about not being able to access funds from Iran and worry that the current tuition extensions will not be enough, especially if the situation continues. The participants shared their hopes that financial help will be extended to avoid further precarity in their studies, housing, and their lives.
Fear of acknowledging their experience
Students expressed fear of asking for support. Some shared their concern that they could lose their TA/GA positions, or that their academic success would be impacted if they were unable to get accommodations and/or extensions. Many professors, supervisors, and colleagues are not aware of the situation, leading to further isolation and anxiety. Participants stated that acknowledgement and supportive actions from faculty, staff, and the wider university community about what is going on is critical for them, as it provides necessary validation about how participants are feeling and the trauma they are living with as a result of the ongoing violence.
Support for Iranian faculty members and instructors
Recognizing the need for more spaces to share stories, concerns, and support, the Centre will be hosting further drop-in sessions for Faculty and Contract Lecturers starting over Reading Week. Date/time information will be sent out through Teachnet (external link) .
Immediate support is available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program. EFAP is a confidential service open to RFA and CUPE 1 instructors that connects employees with counselling and support resources. EFAP is also available to MAC and OPSEU staff.
Teaching strategies and resources for all faculty and instructors
In response to the urgent needs and concerns from students, Centre staff have identified ways in which Faculty Members, Contract Lecturers, and TA/GAs can support their Iranian students in the coming days and weeks:
- Take an opportunity to acknowledge that many students are in distress as a result of ongoing events in Iran. Rather than single out individual students, encourage anyone to check in with you if they are struggling and post links to university supports that are available in class and your D2L course shell.
- Be as flexible as possible with due dates and extensions. Affected students may be struggling to meet course expectations to the best of their abilities if they are feeling fearful, anxious, and overwhelmed.
- Instructors working with Iranian graduate students and TA/GAs may also want to check in with their students to see what supports could be useful. If possible, flexible deadlines and/or temporarily reducing workloads may provide some relief.
- Consider these trauma-informed tips for teaching in times of crisis (external link) offered by Dr. Nancy Chick in 2013. She explains students deeply appreciate when instructors acknowledge the impact of traumatic events but that discussing difficult issues in class can be very challenging and require instructor preparation and appropriate support.
- Let students know that they can request accommodations or academic consideration on health or compassionate grounds under Policy 159 or Policy 167. This flowchart outlines each policy and what it will cover with regard to missing school or coursework.
Support resources that Instructors can share with students
| Note: Details will be updated here as additional resources are identified | |
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| Message from TMU’s Interim Vice President, Equity and Community Inclusion about the death of Mahsa Amini |
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| Campus Resources | |
| Community Resources |
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| Mental Health, Distress lines & Crisis Resources | Crisis Lines:
Mental Health:
Distress Lines:
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If you have additional support information that you would like to see added here, please email the Centre at teachingcentre@torontomu.ca.
