Ontario urged to better address systemic racism within schools

Youth advisory group asks education minister to update curriculum

Ontario’s school curriculum needs to better address antiBlack and anti-Indigenous racism, Toronto’s Youth Cabinet is urging, with the support of 16 education unions and advocacy groups.

In a letter to Education Minister Stephen Lecce, the youth cabinet — the city’s official youth advisory body — said systemic racism “is extensive throughout the education system and school boards across the province of Ontario. For decades Black, Indigenous, and racialized students have been discriminated against.”

They point to recent reports out of the Peel public school board, that cited years of inaction discrimination against Black students, incidents of Islamophobia and general dysfunction, saying similar issues exist in all boards.

Lecce has issued a number of directives to the Peel board to address the long-standing problems, and also sent in a supervisor to oversee changes.

Among a number of recommendations, the youth cabinet is asking Lecce to “build upon the steps you have taken” and, following consultations, mandate the curriculum include material on residential schools and Indigenous treaties and “we are also calling for the same to be done to reflect the contributions of Black individuals to Canada.”

Caitlin Clark, a spokesperson for Lecce, said, “Each and every Ontario curriculum contains a section on equity and inclusive education, how it relates to all subjects/disciplines, as well as how that subject/discipline approaches anti-racism and antidiscrimination. Ontario is a leader in this regard.”

The education ministry, she added, “works to ensure that curriculum is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the Ontario population, as well as provide students learning opportunities related to anti-racism and anti-discrimination education” starting in kindergarten.

“Racism has no place in our schools and communities,” Clark also said.

NDP education critic Marit Stiles said the province needs to take “significant action” now.

“What has become very clear is that it has really shone a light on existing inequalities,” said Stiles, a former Toronto District School Board trustee.