Page 5 - Professional Advisory on Anti-Black Racism

Background information
The data shows that Black students face many more barriers and challenges in the school system than students from other communities. Some of these barriers and challenges include overrepresentation in programs and courses that generally do not lead to post-secondary education studies and, therefore, serve to perpetuate poor socioeconomic status in Black communities.
In a 2014 study, the advocacy group People for Education, found that while the practice of streaming students into programs based on ability was supposed to have ended two decades ago, the practice continues and disadvantages students, particularly those who identify as Black, as the majority of those placed in the programs are Black. The group’s research found that students in applied English and Math classes were less likely to perform well on provincial stan- dardized tests, graduate from high school or pursue post-secondary education. Notably, the findings showed that schools with more applied courses featured a higher enrolment of students from low-income families.6
Data collected by the Black Demographic Data Advisory Committee of the Ontario Alliance of Black Educators focused on Black student achievement in a large
urban school board and highlighted related disparities. The data revealed that Black students are more than twice as likely as their white peers to be suspended at least once during high school. Black students are
three times as likely as white students to be in the Essentials program of study and two and a half times as likely to be in applied. By contrast, white students are one and a half times as likely as their Black peers to be in the academic program of study.7
Black students are overrepresented in special education programs and underrepresented
in others. More Black students are identified with non-gifted special education needs. Only 0.4 per cent of Black students are identified as gifted, compared to 4 per cent of their white counterparts. Conversely, 16 per cent
of white students are identified with other special education needs compared with 26 per cent of Black students.8
The impacts of anti-Black racism cut across economic, social, political and educational domains and overshadow the hard work and positive contributions of Black communities to Canadian society. OCTs may witness, uphold or contribute to anti-Black racism practices that harm Black learners and their families and caregivers.
The Ministry of Education’s Equity Action Plan points to the importance of working with parents, educators, principals, board staff, trustees and the community, to identify and eliminate all discriminatory practices, systemic barriers and bias in schools and classrooms.9 The province’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy focuses on helping Ontario’s educators identify and remove discriminatory biases and systemic barriers to support the
6 peopleforeducation.ca/our-work/a-statement-from-people-for-education-on-anti-black-racism/ 7 onabse.org/YCEC-TDSBFactSheet1.pdf
8 ibid
9 Education Equity Action Plan
PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY ON ANTI-BLACK RACISM 3