Canada’s largest school board will not approve any new student trips to the United States in the wake of controversial travel restrictions proposed by President Donald Trump.

However, 25 trips involving about 900 Toronto District School Board students that are already scheduled for this spring will go ahead as planned unless circumstances change, TDSB education director John Malloy wrote in a letter to principals Thursday.

Given the uncertainty over the proposed travel restrictions, “we strongly believe that our students should not be placed into these situations of potentially being turned away at the border,” Malloy said.

The board’s plan — approved unanimously by trustees at a board meeting late Wednesday night — was to strike a balance between ensuring safety and inclusion for students, without causing financial loss and disappointment by cancelling the spring trips kids had planned and fundraised for over many months.

Ikran Jama, 17, says the decision is good news for her and fellow students at York Memorial Collegiate who have been planning a four-day trip to New York City since last September.

“Students have worked so hard for this,” says the Grade 12 student, adding they have been selling cookies and popcorn, and holding concerts to raise money for the May visit, which will include giving a musical performance at a retirement home.

Jama’s parents are from Somalia — one of the six Muslim-majority countries whose citizens could be refused entry to the U.S. if Trump’s proposed travel restrictions are put in place.

She and many of her friends whose families immigrated from the six countries affected are nervous about what will happen when the bus stops at the border, even though they have Canadian passports, she says.

But hearing that the school board has a plan in place helps, she added.

The plan means there will be no trips to the U.S. approved for the 2017-2018 school year. But still on track are 24 separate trips involving about 800 students, and plans for about 100 youth from different schools to attend an international business competition in California.

In the event that any student or staff member on a trip this spring is refused entry at the border as a result of U.S. travel policy, everyone on the trip would return home and Malloy would be permitted to cancel remaining trips for this year, according to the motion approved by trustees.

He could also cancel trips if travel restrictions are put in place in the next couple of months, with the board reimbursing students for costs that aren’t covered by insurance.

The TDSB is the latest to join the growing ranks of organizations altering travel policies amid concerns that members of their groups could be denied entry at the border.

Earlier this month, Girl Guides of Canada cancelled trips to the U.S., citing safety concerns and uncertainty at the border, and to ensure all guides can participate in group travel.

This week, Ryerson University and the Greater Essex County School Board followed suit and suspended trips.

Other GTA boards have not announced cancellations.

“Schools continue to be allowed to plan, but as always, know that these trips can be cancelled at any time if travel advisories change,” said Carla Pereira, spokesperson for the Peel District School Board.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board has not suspended trips to the U.S. or abroad, however “we continue to monitor the situation,” said spokesperson John Yan.

Malloy had originally been scheduled to provide TDSB trustees with an update Wednesday on a situation that board staff are watching closely. But Trustee Shelley Laskin, who has heard from concerned parents, moved a motion that his plan be approved on the spot to address uncertainty for students, their families and school staff.

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“It’s pretty clear there’s consensus that we’re not going to put our students at risk,” she said.

The move was supported by student trustee Shams Mehdi, a Grade 11 student at Leaside High School, who noted that a substantial amount of time, money and planning resources have gone into trips already booked for this spring.

The plan is “the appropriate decision to be made at this time,” he said.

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