Following the release of a damning report of systemic anti-Black racism within the Peel District School Board (PDSB), Ontario’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce issued 27 directives on March 13, 2020, to be implemented by the organization under strict timelines.

In a news release, the Ministry of Education stated that these directives to the PDSB are “aimed at addressing the systemic discrimination, specifically anti-Black racism; human resources practices; board leadership and governance issues.”

The PDSB, which serves over 155,000 students across 257 schools in Caledon, Brampton, and Mississauga, has since admitted to “systemic racism” within the Board and issued a formal apology for the “hurt and harm” inflicted on the Black community.

Last November, the Ontario government announced a formal review of Canada’s second-largest school board, following years of racism and human rights complaints. The three-member Review team was led by Human Rights lawyer Ena Chadha, lawyer and former CABL president Shawn Richard, and former deputy minister Suzanne Herbert.

Between December 2019 and early February 2020, they considered over 160 written submissions, conducted 115 interviews, and held 4 community engagement sessions, hearing from more than 300 individuals in Peel and Toronto.

Key findings from the March report include:

• 83% of high school students in the PDSB are racialized, yet 67% of teachers are white.
• Black students were subjected to frequent police intervention.
• Black students were heavily overrepresented in suspensions, including in junior kindergarten. Though they represent only 10.2% of the student body, they accounted for 22.5% of suspensions.
• Black students reported being held to higher standards and different conduct codes than white or other racialized students.
• Students expressed that Black History should be integrated into the curriculum—and go beyond slavery.
• Teachers and principals made degrading, inappropriate, and racist comments about Black students and staff.
• Teachers often failed to intervene when students used the N-word or engaged in classroom micro-aggressions.
• PDSB Director of Education Peter Joshua had served since July 2017 without ever receiving a performance appraisal.
• Numerous Black educators were removed from their roles after speaking out against white supremacy and oppression.

Despite claims that work on the directives had begun, reports suggest that little has changed. Following a breakdown in mediation, Minister Lecce appointed lawyer Arleen Huggins to investigate the PDSB’s compliance with his directives.

Lecce emphasized he would not tolerate “delay or inaction” in “confronting racism and discrimination” and vowed to ensure these issues are addressed “immediately and effectively.”

Ms. Huggins is expected to submit her findings by May 18, 2020.

Resources:

Minister’s Directions: Download PDF
Final Report: Download PDF