Marisa Giulietti has withdrawn as a candidate for school board trustee  in York Region in the April 25 by-election and has endorsed Jamaica-born Charline Grant,  the mother of three young children, and one of a dozen candidates now in the race.

In announcing her withdrawal last week, Guilietti called on voters in Vaughan wards one and two to make Grant “our next public school trustee.”

Guilietti told the Caribbean Camera that  when she learned who Grant was, she decided to  support her.

“This is a woman who has proven her strength and dedication in fighting for what’s right. Let’s put someone who has heart and voice and  puts the well being of our children first,” she said.

Guilietti also said that there was no need for a byelection.

“Charline was the runner -up [in Vaughan wards one and two] in the municipal elections last October and should have been appointed trustee after the person who won in that area had resigned,” Guilietti said.

Grant has filed a human rights complaint against the York Region District School Board over its decision to hold the byelection.

Before running for trustee,  Grant made headlines in her battles with the Board over allegations of racism.

In an incident in 2016   she was called a nigger by trustee  Nancy Elgie who resigned  after  she launched a  complaint about the racial slur.

The Board apologize to Grant and the Black community for the offensive word.

She  had also complained that her son was called “intimidating” and “angry” by his teachers because of his race,

In April 2017, a three-month investigation of the Board  by the provincial government found that students, parents and staff had had feelings of “alienation, marginalization and discrimination” and that a culture of fear was rampant within the Board.

Grant,  a real estate agent and former law clerk, is a recipient of the Courage Award from the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the President’s Award from the Association of Black Law Enforcers.