Parents, community hold candlelight vigil for Toronto schoolteacher
ESTELLA WHEELER is remembered by her colleagues, parents, students, and members of the community as an excellent teacher, well loved by her students.
On March 13, parents organised a community candlelight vigil outside the school to honour the grade seven and eight teacher at the Africentric Alternative School of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) who was born on April 15, 1959.
Wheeler was from Kellits, Clarendon, Jamaica and attended Clarendon College.
“Ms. Wheeler is well loved not only among staff and students, but the community in general, so this is an initiative that the parent community took on,” said principal Hugh Reynolds, who noted that the school was not involved in planning the event.
On March 6, York Regional Police responded to an address in the City of Vaughan, Ontario, where they found a woman with serious injuries. Despite life-saving measures, the victim, Estella Wheeler, 64, was pronounced deceased on the scene. Her husband, Trevor Wh,eeler 68, was taken into custody and later charged with second-degree murder by the homicide unit.
“It’s very tough for staff, students and the community,” Reynolds said, noting that although it is March break, his team is thinking of what it will be like when school resumes on March 18.
He said the TDSB has provided support for staff and students from its social work department and crisis intervention team since the school found out about Wheeler’s death.
The community turned out in significant numbers to add LED candles and tie ribbons with messages to the “Purple Fence of Love” in front of the school at the event which organisers say was about remembering, honouring, and healing.
“Mrs. Wheeler poured out her love to everybody that she was around, whether it’s a parent, a student, a teacher, a stranger, and it wouldn’t be right to not let that love be shined in the community and shared. She planted that seed in the children, she watered it, she watched it bloom and blossom and we have to keep that love going. We have to allow her legacy to be what it is – love,” said Maureen Burbick, a parent, and host of the vigil.
Paul Osbourne, whose children are past students of the school, attended the vigil with his wife, Nicole, said: “Estella was a grade 6 teacher for my youngest son and what comes to mind is caring. He was in grade 6 and there was this connection of caring and love, honestly, about being that aunty in community. Teachers here are not just teachers, they’re aunties,” he said.
Grace Ocloo, who studied with Wheeler – both as mature students at York University – said she wished she had had more time with her friend.
“I’m just remembering the good times that we shared at York University knowing how hard-working she was. I can only remember her for how she inspired me throughout my education, especially as mature students who both have families to go back to at the end of the day. We shared a lot in common as immigrant educators who migrated to Canada and had to go back to school to study. That’s all that is coming to my mind, how hard Estella Wheeler worked to go back to the classroom. And one thing that she kept telling me was, ‘Grace, I love teaching, I love to work with children. I came here as an educator so I just want to get back into the classroom.’”
Ocloo described Wheeler as a very caring person, a mother, a big sister, and a role model to anyone who was around her. “It’s a big loss to the community and to the Africentric school,” said Ocloo, who is a programme officer in The International Languages – Elementary and African Heritage programme at the Toronto District School Board.
POSITIVE INFLUENCE
Reynolds has met with Wheeler’s children, her daughter Tissa and son Damian, who live in Ontario – her first child, Trevon, lives in Florida.
“They’re still trying to come to grips with what has happened. It’s even tougher for them because it’s both parents, especially with the daughter,” he said.
Tissa and Damian Wheeler attended the vigil and although they did not speak at the event, Damian told the Gleaner that he wanted to thank the community for its support. He said that the turnout demonstrated how much his mother was loved.
The principal also spoke with Wheeler’s pastor at West Toronto Church of God and said it has been difficult for the church family. “Everyone is trying to pull together to support each other and focus on the positive influence that Ms. Wheeler had on the community.” Some of the members of the church attended Wednesday night’s vigil.
Luther Brown, a former principal of the school, said Wheeler was one of the teachers that an administrator would want on their staff because of her pedagogy.
“She understood how to build relationships with students to help them to benefit from the instruction. Although she was from the community of black people, she knew that she had to learn the different individuals who came to her school because black people are different, we’re not all the same.”
The thanksgiving service for Wheeler will be held on April 13 at West Toronto Church of God.