Black Lives Matter in the Classroom

College University of St. Michael's College, Faculty of Theology
Instructor(s)
Course Code SMP3416HS
Semester Second Semester
Section 9101
Online No
Credits One Credit
Location Online – Synchronous
Description

In recent years, several studies conducted in boards of education, such as Peel Region (Chadha, Herbert, and Richard 2020) and Toronto District (James and Turner 2017), have reaffirmed the existence of racial inequities in Canada's education system. While these inequities exist at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, the vulnerability of the K-12 sector makes it a particularly urgent issue. The studies highlight disparities in student achievement, suspensions, streaming and completion rates among Black students and their white counterparts. Furthermore, the school to jail pipeline is a well documented phenomenon that has far reaching implications for society. Recent events such as the police killings of Black individuals, and the civil rights movements spawned by these horrific events, have served to emphasize the systemic racism present in our institutions, including those mandated for education. Scholars such as Ladson-Billings (1995) and Grant and Sleeter (2011) have mapped the characteristics of successful teachers of Black students. Influenced by the conscientization philosophy of Paulo Freire (1970), three spheres of successful learning experiences converge to ensure this success: believing that students can succeed academically, encouraging cultural competence, and nurturing critical consciousness. Through this course, we will uncover how racism disrupts the humanization process and subsequently assails educational development.

Schedule TueThu
Start & End Date Jul 13, 2021
Start Time 18:00
End Time 21:00
Hours Per Week Intensive
Minimum Enrolment 10
Maximum Enrolment 25
Teaching Method
Lectures
Seminars
Readings
Means of Evaluation
Class Participation
Reflection Paper
Book Review
Other
Previously Offered Winter 2021
Currently Offered Summer 2021