1,000 signatures reached
To: The Ministry of Education
Integrate Black identities into the Ontario Curriculum
This petition is calling on the provincial government and Ministry of Education to take the following steps:
1. Conduct a thorough review of the curriculum through a lens of equity, in partnership with Black communities, organizers and educators in the province.
2. In collaboration with the aforementioned stakeholders, create general and specific expectations in the Ontario curriculum that appropriately integrate Black identities and history into all subject areas.
Why is this important?
When determining our long range plans, unit plans, and individual lesson plans, Ontario’s educators look to the curriculum to inform and guide us. The curriculum is determined by the Ministry of Education, which claims to conduct reviews on a regular basis. The curriculum for each subject area consists of general big ideas, and specific expectations that determine our learning goals and the outcomes of our students. For each subject area and subsequent strand (ie. number sense and numeration in math), there are general and specific expectations that tell us what our students should be able to do after successfully completing the academic year. These expectations shape what we teach every day.
As there are no such curriculum expectations about Black identities or race, what requires teachers to include these subjects in their lessons?
Nothing.
Without Ministry mandated curriculum, Black identities and histories are not being taught in a meaningful way, and ultimately left to the discretion of the teacher. This approach will not uproot systemic racism in our schools, and there needs to be change in the curriculum given to teachers.