Youth Development
Who shows up?
BY KATHY MCDONALD
On February 26th a Trustee put forward a motion asking that all Peel District School Board (PDSB) schools close when school buses are canceled. I think such a motion if passed will have a huge negative impact on members of our community and as such, I am imploring parents and community members to come out on MONDAY (Note the usual meeting date of Tuesday has changed) March 25th, 2019. The board will be discussing this motion at the central board office located at 5650 Hurontario Street in Mississauga. Please note that the entrance to the property is off of Matheson Road and a government-issued ID is required to gain entrance to the building. It is imperative that the community come out and be present. This, in my opinion, is a very important issue that will ultimately affect most families in my ward including members of the African, Black and Caribbean communities.
First and foremost, it is the poorest and most marginalized members of the community that will suffer if six other trustees agree with this motion. Schools while serving as learning institutions also act, quite simply put, as a “safe” place for parents to leave their children. When schools are closed it sets into motion a slew of events that often can devastate the poorest of the poor. These repercussions hit the children at risk and most marginalized families the hardest. When a parent that is precariously employed has to take a day off of work to be at home with her children due to a school closure it usually means a pay cheque that is several dollars short at the end of the month. This parent who is already living pay cheque to pay cheque and in some cases payday loan to payday loan now is faced with the unenviable task of deciding what gets cut, feeding the children a nutritious meal or keeping the heat on.
To the privileged in society or to the families that have a network of support, snow days may be a mere inconvenience. It means heading out a few minutes earlier to drop children to grandma’s house. Many members of the African, Black and Caribbean communities do not have such luxuries for a myriad of reasons ranging from the effects of discriminatory laws that prevented Black and Caribbean families from migrating with extended family members from living with the harsh realities of choices made in our youth. The bottom line is that as a community we will be disproportionately affected by school closures.
When the weather is bad hospitals still need doctors, nurses, technicians, and the janitorial staff to show up. Banks still have to keep their tills open rain or shine. The jails and courthouses don’t close because of the snow. The restaurants need the cooks and servers to be present even when there is freezing rain outside. Members of the service industries and the staff of retail stores will still need to serve their customers even if the numbers are low. Employees still have to show up and work. Warehouses still have products which need to be moved ASAP. Hairdresser, barbers you name it, workers are expected to, they have to, show up for work. Why should the PDSB staff be any different?
When we think of the effect that this has on staff members that are not permanent employees of the board, a vast majority that are people of color, living paycheque to paycheque and are depending on schools staying open in order to feed their families, we cannot remain silent. We need to show up and let our voices be heard. Each and every day employees all across Ontario and Canada have to go to work despite inclement weather. Why should the PDSB employees have different attendance expectations?
If the board decides that the roads are too dangerous for school buses to transport the students to schools, then parents should have the option of getting their children to school if they are able. It may mean they have to leave a bit earlier to get to work. It may mean they have to reach work a little later. It may also mean that they have to find someone to drop off and pick up their child. In the end, it means that this parent can still maintain an ability to earn a living and feed their family. Most small business and private sector companies still require workers to come into work, at least show up. It often does not matter if you are late, but you must show up. So, by shackling our vulnerable families with school closures, we are not living up to our mission and vision as a board. Parents and community members come out and hold us accountable.
Parents, students, and community members come out and let your voices be heard. If need be ask us those tough questions at question period or delegate the board. As a community, you should not sit silently when such potential tragedies may happen, adversely affecting your community. This motion can realistically devastate members of our community in a disproportionate way. If this becomes our policy the negative repercussions on our children and their families will hit hard. So, journey with me as we endeavor to make sure that all children get the education they legally deserve. Walk Good! Belle Marché.
Youth Development
Understanding the multiple layers involved in navigating education spaces Parents of Black Children launch Navigating the Education System
BY PAUL JUNOR
The work of the advocacy group Parents of Black Children (PoBC) has made a significant and revolutionary difference by bringing issues to the forefront that help Black families at all levels.
For over two years now, it has organized events, workshops and initiatives that have provided important information to the Black community to bring empowerment, knowledge and deep understanding of the multiple layers of the complex dynamics involved in navigating education spaces.
There are five core principles that underlie PoBC understanding of racism:
- Racialization
- Racism is about power
- Critical racial theory
- Our stories matter
- Racism is founded on White supremacy
On Tuesday, November 23rd, 2021, they launched the document “Navigating the Education System,” which was a very empowering, enriching and inspiring tool for diverse Black families. Kearie Daniels, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author of the document, moderated the launch. Furthermore, Claudette Rutherford, one of the cofounders of PoBC and author gave an extensive presentation of the details of the document, sharing useful insights, practical knowledge and interesting information.
PoBC shared a pdf document subsequent to the launch, which provided additional details in a fifty-three-page package. It contained relevant, contextual and vital resources. PoBC’s Advocacy Team supported the document, which includes Charline Grant and Xavier McLaughin.
In the introduction to the document the mission of PoBC is to “Provide support to parents of Black children across Canada and the United States. We advocate and work towards change and concrete action in our education system and adjacent systems such child welfare and the justice system.”
The launch of this vital document is a culmination of all the advocacy and activist work that PoBC has been extensively involved in. It serves to remind members of the Black community that there are resources, tools and supports available to ensure that Black children are able to thrive academically, excel mentally and flourish intellectually in spaces that may not be welcoming to their presence.
The document states that the navigate guide is “Geared towards families in Ontario, but the information can be applied to any jurisdiction where there are Black children and families.”
The document “Table of Contents” is useful and helpful. There is vital information on:
- School board terms you need to know
- Education organization you need to know in Ontario
- Black families and the Child Welfare System
- Black families and the education system
- Black students and Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
- Black students in High School.
- Developmental delays in learning exceptionalities
- Supporting students with learning exceptionalities
- Selecting a school system
- System abuse
PoBC presented a webinar on “System Abuse”. The document states,
“The system is not neutral. These systems were designed as part of a colonial framework that must be dismantled.” Furthermore, the document “Serves as a means to demystify the pitfalls within the education system and light a path towards a decolonized education system.”
BY PAUL JUNOR
There have been concerns, fears and anxieties as parents, caregivers and guardians anticipate the possibility of having their children under twelve vaccinated.
The Boston Globe reported on Friday, October 29th, 2021, that the FDA approved the administration of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children between the ages of five to eleven. These children will receive one-third of the dose administered to teens and adults.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention met on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, in order to finalize details with respect to which children should be vaccinated first. In anticipation of these developments, Team Toronto has initiated a series of outreach and education sessions, as well as town halls in order to inform the Toronto community.
Parents of children between the ages of five to eleven who attend public schools will be receiving an email and an invitation to respond to a survey to “Support vaccine planning.” This invitation will also be extended to parents whose children attend private independent schools as well. The survey will be administered by Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the City of Toronto VaxTO in order to “Better understand parents’ intent to vaccinate their children, how they would prefer to have their children receive their COVID-19 vaccine, and to obtain critical information on socio-demographic factors such as race and income.”
John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, is optimistic and positive about this development. He states in the press release, “While our work to get 90% of eligible residents vaccinated is continuing, we are also readying for when the vaccine will be available to protect kids five to eleven. We want to hear from parents, so we made sure we designed a vaccination program that works for kids and their families. This is just one more example of the outreach we are doing to prepare for this effort. This work is so important and will help us get kids vaccinated so they have the best protection against COVID-19 and so our schools can be as safe and as open as possible.”
Councillor Joe Cressy, Chair of Toronto’s Board of Health who has been at the forefront of advocating for the vaccination of margnizalied and at-risk communities is supportive of this campaign. He states, “At every stage of our immunization campaign, connecting with people on the ground has been critical to our success. Now, as we prepare for the rollout of vaccines to children aged five to eleven, we’re committed to engaging directly with parents, families, and community leaders to have active conversations about vaccinations for kids.”
In addition, Dr Eileen De Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health is a strong proponent of this campaign. She states,” When vaccines are approved for use and when we have supply we will ensure that we bring every resource to bear on this critical component of the vaccination campaign.”
The survey will be available as of Sunday, November 7th, 2021. It consists of fifteen questions that will be available online at s.tphsurvey.chkmkt.com in multiple languages. Parents and guardians will receive them from their children’s public school boards. In addition, there will be town halls for specified multilingual communities as well as neighbourhood-based telephone halls to ensure that the public has access to timely, necessary and relevant information for informed decision-making.
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