It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Harold Brathwaite. He was a beloved father, brother and uncle who had a distinguished career as an educator and an administrator. Among his accomplishments, Mr. Brathwaite served as the Superintendent of French Language Schools and Associate Director of Education in the Toronto Board of Education. In 1994, he made history when he became Canada’s first Black Director of Education, a role in which he served until retired from public education in 2002.

In 2003 Mr. Brathwaite came out of retirement to take up the position of Senior Advisor to the President of Seneca College. A year later he assumed the role of Executive Director of the Retired Teachers of Ontario where he remained until his second retirement in 2015.

In recognition of his many contributions to education in Ontario, a school bearing his name was opened in Brampton in 2003.

Mr. Brathwaite was born and raised in St. Michael, Barbados. He received his secondary education at Combermere School and Harrison’s College in Barbados. He completed his undergraduate degree at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and at l’Universite de Lyon in France. He completed his postgraduate studies with a master’s degree in French from McMaster University.

He will be missed by those who loved him and everyone who benefited from his service to public education.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Peel District School Board in the name of Harold Brathwaite.

All donations made in Harold Brathwaite's memory will be added to the existing Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School Scholarship Fund.