We Rise Together; Peel District School Board Recruiting Black and Indigenous Teachers

BY KATHY MACDONALD

As an elected Brampton Trustee for Wards 3 and 4, it is my responsibility to take action when it comes to the needs of the community. One need that has been identified during my ongoing community and educational research, is the need for more Black and Indigenous teachers in the classrooms. In 2018, a motion was put forward to the Human Resources and Negotiations Advisory Committee (HRNAC). After consulting, analyzing data and taking all the necessary steps, the HRNAC recommended the motion be received.

On Monday, March 25^th, the Peel District School Board, with a vote of 3 to 9, set into motion targeted a hiring recruitment fair of Black and Indigenous teachers. The motion reads;

Whereas, based on several research reports and studies conducted, the Peel District School Board created, “We Rise Together,” the action plan to: identify, understand, minimize and eliminate the marginalization experienced by black male students in the Peel School Board, and the Indigenous Education Action Plan to: identify, understand, minimize and eliminate the marginalization experienced by Indigenous students in the Peel School Board,

Whereas, the intentional hiring of Black and Indigenous teachers who are equipped to: create inclusive teaching and learning environments, that promote the intellectual engagement of Black and Indigenous students, and who reflect their narratives, interests, strengths and cultural perspectives, will contribute to a learning environment that is authentic and meaningful to all students. Be it resolved, that the Peel District School Board embark on a targeted recruitment initiative to hire Black and Indigenous teachers.

Simply put, this motion seeks to service and address the marginalization of Black and Indigenous students. It is not about addressing equitable hiring; it is about intentional hiring to address the fact that Black and Indigenous students are doing far worse than their peers in the academic arena. As a Trustee, I go to on average 23 graduations each year, so I get to see the students who are graduating, and those who are not. I also get to see the students who are winning awards and those who are not.

There are countless studies including research from our own board that has scientifically proven that having black teachers, even one, can make the difference in a black student’s life and increase their likelihood of graduating. Famed John Hopkins researcher Greg Stanley states that “A low-income black student’s probability of dropping out of school if he or she has just one black teacher in elementary school lessons by 29%.” Seth Gershenson and Constance Lindsey of the American University conducted a study, and their findings demonstrated the strength of the role model effect. In high school, black students; both boys and girls had a much higher expectation of going to university if they had a black teacher because black teachers have high expectations for them. Additional studies, including a study done by Cherng’s of New York University, had results showing that students of all races, White, Black, Latino and Asian benefit.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has two calls to action that relate directly to education. They refer to making age-appropriate curriculum and providing indigenous teaching methods in the classroom. It is time as an educational institution to honor these calls to action. The Human Rights Policy clearly states that if we know that people or systems are behaving in a manner that is discriminatory and we do nothing, then we can be held as being complicit. That is collusion, and in my opinion a classic case of systemic anti-Black racism and anti-Indigenous racism. Last Monday, the Peel District School Board took steps to protect some of its most vulnerable students and made commitments to provide the necessary: learning environment, resources, and educators for Black and Indigenous students.

Overall, the research at all levels, and cross-culturally show that this motion will be beneficial for our students. It is my responsibility as a Trustee to do what is right for our vulnerable students.