The York Region District School unveiled its much-anticipated Anti-Black racism strategy Monday night.
The five-year plan was developed in the wake of continuing anti-Black racism in schools and was created by a steering committee that worked with Black community leaders and school board staff.
"We know that anti-Black racism exists, and is affecting our learning and working environments," said Cynthia Cordova, chair of the school board.
"Black staff and students do not feel their learning and working environment is as equitable or as inclusive as it should be ... this is simply not acceptable," she added.
Director of education, Louise Sirisko, said the school board had learned much during its many months of work on the strategy and apologized to all Black students and staff who have been hurt by systemic black racism.
"We have learned that Black students often experience a racist learning environment, either because of what is or isn't included in the curriculum, or the behaviours of other students, which sometimes are left unaddressed by the adults in the building," said Sirisko.
"We also spoke to Black teachers and faculty and the reprisals they can face when they advocate for Black students or engage in anti-racism work."
The outcome of those conversations was the development of seven principles that will guide the implementation of the strategy for the next five years:
- Commit to bold leadership: This will be done by having senior leaders receive regular updates on racial disproportionalities, and incidents in schools, and strive to ensure that equality is reflected in day-to-day work.
- Increase the racial literacy of all staff: Mandatory professional development for staff at all levels.
- Create black-affirming learning and working environments: Create a new anti-racism protocol to address racial incidents with clear guidance on what is inappropriate, provide tools for creating an inclusive environment, and support Black students' school-based campaigns to dismantle racism.
- Improve academic outcomes and wellbeing for black students: Identify racial disparities with data and create intervention programs if needed, including supports for students.
- Create a culturally relevant and Black-affirming curriculum: Include more histories of people of African descent, more teaching about racism as a structural and historical phenomenon.
- Improve the ways in which Black parents, families and communities are able to engage with schools and the school board: Remove the roadblocks that keep parents and communities from getting involved in education.
- And, hire and support Black staff: Also more supports for current Black staff.
The whole strategy can be found by clicking here.
