Systemic Racism

Systemic Racism hasn’t only risen with the #BlackLivesMatter movement, but has been here for decades. When you have targeted communities who were inflicted with suffering, extra precautions are then taken to help these same communities thrive. 

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Not feeling heard at your child’s school?

Korina, a teacher at the TDSB, has noticed this a lot among minority parents. Parents feel uneasy when their child isn’t being treated nor respected the same as other students. Our children might feel isolated when they don’t feel a sense of belonging. These are all symptoms of an education system that wasn’t made to cater towards minority students. In today’s episode, we go back to the beginning to when the education system was created and how it’s roots are still impacting minority students today. To learn more about our sponsor, please check it out here.

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Let’s go back in time to the 1840

The beginning of our Canadian education system. Slavery was abolished and the Black community had dreams of a brighter future. However, schools were racially segregated in parts of southwestern Ontario. These schools were underfunded and did not provide the same resources as White populated schools. In turn, the Black population realized that they needed to have political influence in order to create change. It took Ontario’s first Black MPP to abolish the Separate Schools clause on segregated schools. His name was Leonard Braithwaite. 

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Advocating for our children’s rights has stemmed from the inequities in our public education system

These feelings are valid and rooted in the history of our country. When parents aren’t heard, they feel the need to be louder to create action. This misconception of minorities being loud and obnoxious is a way of oppressing our voices and neglecting the needs of our children. There has not been a single moment in Canadian history where Black parents did not need to fight for their children’s education – until now. 

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At Roots to Routes Academy

We have a high school credit course that is built for us. We offer a Grade 9 Mathematics course with a global curriculum focused on cultural literacy, where all students will learn and receive materials that teach them more about themselves and the world. Our teachers are not only OCT certified, but they reflect the population that they serve. We believe that by creating the space for students to celebrate their uniqueness, students will feel empowered to create change in the world.

If you are interested in our courses and would like to learn more, please pencil in a 30 minute call that works best for you. We would be honoured to hear your story and to learn how to celebrate your child!    

To hear more about Korina’s journey on navigating the education system, her insight as a Black teacher, and as an advocate for her students, listen to our podcast, More Than Just A School on Spotify or through our website here. 

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Let’s create change, one course at a time!

With love, 

Ramya Selladurai

Co-founder of Roots to Routes Academy

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