With Good Reason

Update: Even the Toronto Star is against the proposal of a blacks-only school because it is the “wrong answer.”  Moreover, while my previous post below mentioned the public meeting to be held on Tuesday, January 29th, I was not aware of tonights (January 22nd) behind-closed-door meeting.  

On why a black’s-only school is the wrong answer, the Star editorial says:

“The example of the First Nations School of Toronto, the only racially based school in the city, has shown that creating a school for one racial group is not the solution. Julian Falconer’s report on school violence earlier this month found conditions at the school were ‘unacceptable.’

It has the lowest academic standing among the 451 elementary schools in the public board, and over the past three years it has suspended an average of one-third of its students. Falconer’s report calls that ‘an extraordinary level for an elementary school.’ The report concluded that the board is ‘failing one of our most marginalized and vulnerable communities.’

Instead of setting up another such school, the board should look at the other proposals before them tonight [in a behind-closed-door meeting by the Toronto public school trustees], including the creation of system-wide plans to improve student achievement for blacks and other marginalized groups with targets and timelines for achieving them. The strategy would address areas such as early-years programs, early-intervention strategies, student-leadership activities, tutoring and mentoring programs, as well as summer employment training. “

The citizens of Toronto need to be aware of the decisions that are being made with very little public input. 

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Earlier post: To anyone who is interested in the Blacks-only school issue, otherwise referred to by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) as the “Africentric school issue,” there will be a VERY important meeting January 29th at 6pm — the ONLY one of its kind.

I have written about this topic before (here) and am completely against the notion of a return to segregation on the basis of skin colour. Although I am a white person, I feel that is wrong on so many levels.

Have the powers that be at the TDSB and the school services committee (PSSC) forgotten how hard people of colour had to struggle for full and complete school integration? Why then, go back to the future? 

There is little doubt in my mind that the majority of Black students in Toronto come from loving and caring families. The students work hard and cause no trouble. Why, then, are there going to be alternative schools for the few who cause the disruptions and the violence? 

Why is it so politically incorrect to acknowledge that far too many Black students are dropping out or are the trouble makers?  Instead of blaming the government of Mike Harris — three Premiers ago – why is the TDSB not dealing with that issue of Black-on-Black violence instead of allocating an entire school for Blacks-only.

Students who graduate from this type of school will be labelled a loser. And, as I have written about negative labels, those kinds of stereotypes can stick with a person for life. And, more importantly, not all Black students consider themselves of African heritage. Far from it. So, how will the broader Toronto community and the TDSB deal with that?  

Regarding the January 29th meeting, the TDSB website says:

“This special meeting will provide community partners and members of the public the opportunity to discuss the issue of Africentric schools. The report on Africentric schools will be posted on the TDSB public website in advance of this meeting….

This special committee meeting will be the ony opportunity for members of the public to be heard on this issue.

Once the date of the special committee meeting is announced, all persons wishin to speak to the issue must register.”

For further information, here is the link. As yet, the report under discussion is not on the website but I will post an “update” when, or if,  it becomes available.

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C/P: Crux-of-the-Matter and Jack’s Newswatch.

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