Toronto Approves Black-Focused Schools
Wed, 2008-01-30 10:23
#1
Toronto Approves Black-Focused Schools
Wed, 2008-01-30 10:23
#2
[url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/298714]http://www.thestar.com/Ne...
"The black-focused school is a go.
After a heated but civil debate, Canada's largest school board voted 11-9 last night to open an alternative Africentric school to help fight a 40 per cent dropout rate among Toronto's black teens.
An elated parent, Donna Harrow, said she is thrilled the proposal she and fellow parent Angela Wilson had pushed for got through, despite fierce opposition and cries of segregation."
Wed, 2008-01-30 10:51
#3
Since all black people are not required by law to attend such a school, it isn't technically segregation.
But I still think it is a bad idea. What was the reason we don't want Muslim schools, again?
As a general principle, kids should be required to meet and interact with kids from other backgrounds, not just their own.
It is poor preparation for a working life in this city, to be shielded from ethnicities other than one's own.
If 40% of black kids drop out, as is alleged, that's a social problem. But a black-centred school won't change that, just as the native school in Toronto hasn't changed the drop out rate for native kids. In fact, 1/3 of them are actually EXPELLED from the native school, evidence that a identity-specific curriculum isn't much of a draw, anyway.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:04
#4
Thanks Jeff. These are my thoughts as well. I would add that further ethnic discord will occur in the inevitable funding battles. It will introduce race to all intramural activities and racialize the school system to the kids which is the opposite of what we want. It is a real step in the wrong direction.
There are many social experts who say that a good many of the friends we keep for life we meet in school- think of the implications.
Having non-racialized schools probably help rather than hinder and all communites will suffer.
This was a simplistic approach and a wrong-headed replacement for what is really needed.
Obviously it is easier to do this than to address the issues that exist in and towards the African Canadian community including prejudice and poverty which remain above average for the general population.
What should have been done is the entire school system could have become more Afrocentric- it does not hurt kids from other ethnicities to be exposed to different cultures. It isn't as if African Canadians are nto exposed to non-African culture now is it?
I am disapointed by this decision and am glad I don't have children in Toronto schools.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:13
#5
Yes, separatism is almost always a bad idea.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:19
#6
I agree: bad idea. Contrary to multi-cult goals.
Dropout rate is a socio-cultural problem. Many single parent familes, poverty, parents facing impossible odds to keep their kids fed and motivated. Then there is the gheto environment (e.g.Jane-Finch) and gangs. Wow what a load of problems! Segregated schools will solve nothing.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:25
#7
remind
quote:
Originally posted by jeff house:
[b]...If 40% of black kids drop out, as is alleged, that's a social problem. But a black-centred school won't change that, just as the native school in Toronto hasn't changed the drop out rate for native kids. In fact, 1/3 of them are actually EXPELLED from the native school, evidence that a identity-specific curriculum isn't much of a draw, anyway.[/b]
Do you have evidence for this 1/3 expulsion rate from the FN schools? What are the expulsion ratios for other schools?
And I am not sure that the 1/3 expulsion rate, if it's accurate, means that the FN school is not working to keep the non-expelled FN children in school, and learning. Just as other schools expulsion ratios do not indicate the remainder in school are not staying there and learning.
I see no difference in these schools than from French emersion schools, that are peppered across Canada.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:29
#8
quote:
Originally posted by jeff house:
[b]
As a general principle, kids should be required to meet and interact with kids from other backgrounds, not just their own.
[/b]
Even if I agreed with you on that, I'm not sure that it's the current reality in our schools today. Kids go the schools closest to them. Based on where people live, I think it's already quite possible that there are many schools that are almost entirely black or almost entirely white. And even within the schools, certain people will choose to associate primarily with people of similar backgrounds. Exposure to diversity is something that can be rather difficult to enforce.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:32
#9
difficult to enforce but not difficult to at least avoid encouraging.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:33
#10
quote:
Originally posted by remind:
[b]
Do you have evidence for this 1/3 expulsion rate from the FN schools? What are the expulsion ratios for other schools?
[/b]
There was a story about this in (I believe) The Star a few weeks ago. It also revealed that in the entire school, not a single 3rd grader passed the literacy or math test.
So clearly, culturally focused schools do not NECESSARILY lead to improved outcomes. On the other hand, you could probably point to Jewish schools where test scores, graduation rates, matriculation rates, etc. are very high.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:36
#11
quote:
Originally posted by Sean in Ottawa:
[b]difficult to enforce but not difficult to at least avoid encouraging.[/b]
Exactly.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:39
#12
Does anyone know what the entrance criteria would be?
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:39
#13
quote:
Originally posted by Sean in Ottawa:
[b]
What should have been done is the entire school system could have become more Afrocentric- it does not hurt kids from other ethnicities to be exposed to different cultures.
[/b]
How do you propose to do this? Are there enough teachers who are sensitive to race? I appreciate the intention but that would take years and would be very difficult to fund. Kids need a solution now.
What you're proposing should be happening too, and it is. From the article:
quote:
Besides the Africentric school, the board passed, by wide margins, measures to:Launch an action plan to help all black students do better.
Start three pilot programs in regular schools where subjects would be taught from an Africentric perspective.
Work with York University and community agencies to establish a centre of research on how to close the learning gap between black children and their peers of other backgrounds.
quote:
Originally posted by jeff house:
[b]
Since all black people are not required by law to attend such a school, it isn't technically segregation.
[/b]
It's also not segregation since white children are allowed to go too, as the article makes clear. I doubt many will--just pointing out that they can.
Wed, 2008-01-30 11:57
#14
Not positive on the entrance criteria, but my understanding is that it would be open to anyone who chooses to attend. If a white kid wanted to attend, tehy could but, obviously, it will primarily attract students who identify as black.
Wed, 2008-01-30 12:03
#15
I was more thinking along the lines of what would happen if there were more applications than places. One concern might be that the new school would cherry-pick students who were more likely to do relatively well anyway. These kinds of programs often have unpleasant unintended consequences, and that could be one of them.
Wed, 2008-01-30 12:05
#16
Contrary to popular Torontonian belief, Toronto news is not national news. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
I'm not sure whether to move this to the anti-racism forum or the regional forum that includes Ontario. I think I'll do the latter for now, and BCG can move it to anti-racism if she thinks it should go there instead.