black school ( Archived) (47)

Toronto trustees narrowly approve black school
CAROLINE ALPHONSO AND JAMES BRADSHAW

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

January 29, 2008 at 11:12 PM EST

TORONTO — In a tight vote, Toronto District School Board trustees Tuesday night approved a contentious proposal for a black-focused school that opponents argued would be the equivalent of segregation.

The 11-9 vote in favour came after an evening of impassioned pleas both for and against the school from community members, including one from the mother of slain 15-year-old Jordan Manners.

Tuesday night's vote means that an alternative Afrocentric school will open in the city in September, 2009, but its location and grade levels are still to be determined.

“This is a bold decision, we're opening ourselves up for real change in the system,” said trustee Michael Coteau, said after the vote.

I think it's a crap idea.. we are meant to be moving forward in time.. not back.

Hi Kitty

Toronto board considering school for black youth
Updated Thu. Sep. 15 2005 9:13 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

A published report says the Toronto District School Board's new equity expert is looking at establishing a black-only school in the city, as a way of combating a high dropout rate and problems with suspensions.

Lloyd McKell, the new executive officer of student and community equity for the board, told the Toronto Star that city schools don't do enough to make students of all backgrounds feel valued.

McKell told the Star a black-focused pilot school would be helpful for at-risk pupils, offering more black teachers, an Afro-centric curriculum and a more nurturing environment.

The school board confirmed that it is looking at the idea.

"I think we're talking about the possibility of a school that would have black-focussed programs -- but they'd be available to any student who wanted to attend them," board chair Sheila Ward told CTV News Toronto.

Ward insists the board needs to do more to prevent at-risk students from dropping out. And since the Safe Schools Act was introduced five years ago, more than 1,000 kids under the age of seven have been suspended. The majority of those suspensions are African-Canadian youth.

Ward says that of the suspension hearings she has attended, 98 per cent involved students of colour. "That says to me -- there's some kind of a problem."

McKell told CTV News he didn't want to comment directly on the proposal.

"I'm not going to speculate on what kind of a model we develop," he said Wednesday. "We do know that we are looking at the particular needs of students who have come forth to us and tell us that they need some adjustments in the way we deliver education."

I don't think it's necessarily crap. If you had a mixed race child or a black one, like any mother you'd want them in the most comfortable environment.

See it from that view.

What ever happened to multiculturism?

Must be some idiots idea of political expediency gone too far, and is probably illegal too!! I hope someone sues the local authority for positive discrimination.

The sooner everyone gets along the better, it's rubbish like this that extends the problems in society.

yeah I see what you mean.. But I still think we shouldn't even HAVE our children feeling any different from each other.

I posted some of the newpapers account a couple of posts back

My point exactly!!!!



Talk is cheap! If anyone here had a feeling their child's psychological stability was at stake, they would do anything to 'protect' them.


I don't have kids but i know i would go out of my way to keep them safe.


JMO

I Toe-tally agree.. it just pisses me off that anyone is treated any differently nowadays.

I don't see why they don't use the money to employ more black teachers (from the article) and making more of an effort to improve how the schools are run.. mixing and mingling instead of building a completely separate school. It's only going backwards and creating a divide IMO.

I agree but what do you do when two of your children are fighting?


Don't you separate them when unable to restore peace between them? Just to keep them from hurting each other?


I don't think they should be doing this( blacks only school) but it wouldn't hurt to try and understand why they would want to.