What challenges are we currently facing in school systems? Racial Equity in Education forum

BY PAUL JUNOR

On November 23^rd, 2020 between 6pm and 8pm, the Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators (ONABSE) hosted the Racial Equity in Education virtual forum geared to the black community.

ONABSE was formed in 2013 and its purpose is to:

• Promote and facilitate the education of all students (African Canadian students in particular)
• To establish a coalition of African Canadian educators and others directly or indirectly involved in the education process
• To create a forum for the exchange of ideas and strategies to improve educational opportunities for African Canadians
• To identify and develop African Canadian professionals who will assume leadership positions in education
• To influence public policy concerning the education of African Canadian

The community forum brought together diverse education advocacy groups and activists. It was intended to discuss the deep impact of racial inequities within the school boards across the Greater Toronto Area.

The community forum was hosted by ONABSE President, Warren Salmon and co-hosted by Lily Obeng (Project Coordinator of the Urban Alliance of Race Relation) and Nia Mascoll-Callender (ONABSE Black Community Outreach). It featured several panellists: Peel District School Board Trustee, Kathy McDonald, ONABSE Higher Education Commission Chair, Debi Knott, ONABSE Student Commission Chair, DeiJaumar Clarke, Melanie Carrington (TDSB Parent-Ward 7 Parkdale/ High Park), and Marcus Mills, student of YRDSB.

Lily Obeng introduced the Racial Equity in Education Project, which is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. It will involve collaboration between: UARR, ONABSE as well as the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA), Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto and Tamil Canadian Centre for Civic Action.

The goal of the project is, “To engage in two years of groundwork for systemic change in education policy, working towards specific policy changes at the levels of regional school boards and the provincial government.” This work engages diverse groups within the GTA to “select advocacy issues that are important to them and equip student and parents, volunteers with tools to implement these changes at school board and provincial levels.”

This first phase involves data collection and will be followed up with another forum on December 8^th, 2020 from 6pm – 8pm where diverse groups will come together, interact, share resources and build a coalition with youth and parents’ engagement. A website will be introduced, along with a web portal that will include active internet geared toward coalition building.

The first overarching question that was posed to the panellists was: What challenges, with respect to racial equity, are we currently facing in school systems? What pressing needs can we currently identify? How are we impacted? Some of the challenges that were previously identified are:

• COVID-19 disproportionately impacted racialized communities and had an effect on educational environments
• Anti-blackness school procedures: streaming, suspensions and expulsions
• Representation: Delivery of culturally responsive pedagogy and black history curriculum
• Representation: Staff, board, and school councils
• Parent/Teacher Relations: Lack of transparency and accountability for educator and administrator acts of Anti-bullying Bill of Rights (reporting, and tracking, discipline)

The second overarching question was what initiatives would you like to see created in response to the challenge named? What initiatives have arisen and where do these responses originate?

The third overarching question was: What are the top/most pressing matters within education equity that require immediate action? What should the community direct our focus toward?

Panellist Debi Knott highlighted the importance of the mental health of students as an issue of urgent priority.