Protesters shift focus to schools
Calgary’s anti-racism movement turned its attention to the city’s education system during a protest on Friday, following a series of demonstrations highlighting police brutality.
About 200 people marched through downtown calling on educators to dismantle systemic racism within the school system, continuing demonstrations that have stretched over two weeks after the death of George Floyd.
Floyd was a Black man who died after a white police officer in Minnesota knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. His death catalyzed global protests, including numerous Black Lives Matter rallies in Calgary.
Shuana Porter, the founder and CEO of the United Black People Allyship, said she and her colleagues are focusing on eradicating racism in all its forms, not simply on police violence.
“You’re going to see protests popping up at the (Calgary Board of Education) because the school system — it starts there,” Porter said. “If the Black kids in our school system are feeling downcast, oppressed, not feeling supported, not feeling empowered, then you are disabling these children from doing what they want to do and should do.
“That’s why we’re going to the CBE today. It’s not just about the curriculum. It’s about how teachers interact with Black students.”
Demonstrators say there’s a lack of Black and Indigenous history in the curriculum and noted all six of the trustees elected to the Calgary Board of Education are white.
“There’s a board of members for the CBE and not one Black person sits on there. That’s a problem,” Porter said. “We don’t want people to just put people in positions, we want people who do the work. Freedom is not comfortable or convenient, so we want (Mayor Naheed) Nenshi, we want any policy-makers who can actually do something to come talk to the community.
“Find out who the community leaders are — I am one of them. Come and have a conversation, because the point is not to throw money and throw dollars at a problem that you don’t know what it is.”
Several protesters also brought up that the curriculum in Alberta currently does not address Black history nearly as much as they believe it should.
“Our purpose is basically to protest against institutional and structural racism,” said Firatol Shune, who attended the protest as part of the United Black People Allyship. “African history and Indigenous history is not very well included in the curriculum. Sometimes, you’ve got teachers who teach it, but there’s proper history that needs to be integrated into the school system so people are more conscious and aware of what’s occurred.
“Canada ... is very well-revered for its diversity and we believe that needs to be upheld.”