Lethbridge School Division passes anti-racism policy
By Lethbridge Herald on October 4, 2022.
The Lethbridge School Division Board of Trustees has passed third reading of Policy 103.1, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression, hoping to create an atmosphere of mutual respect for everyone to be treated fairly, with dignity, and respect.The policy acknowledges racism exists and recognizes the significant role public education serves in driving positive systemic change. Passing the policy through first and second readings back in May and June, division administrators Cayley King, for Victoria Park, and Tracy Wong, for Winston Churchill, were on hand to represent the Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Committee.
“I think it is important to look at the people who are going to be relieved now that we have this policy,” said Wong. “Our division’s support of this policy makes a clear statement and acknowledges historic and systemic racism.
“When we have a call to action like this, and we’re calling on changes to our institutions and our systems, the hope is that will happen through individuals,” said King. “When I read this as a community member, I am really forced to reflect on what my role is in terms of affecting positive change.”
Included in the Policy are definitions of many of the terms used throughout, as well as two pages of terms that accompanies a policy that builds on the Board’s commitment to honour cultural diversity, promoting intercultural understanding to enable reflection and growth that will foster a sense of belonging.
“As a board, our policies provide the direction for our Division, and this policy is the direction our division needs to go,” said Allison Purcell, board chair. “We have the ability to ensure the foundation is there to change the outcome for our students and staff. Today, our division has committed to changing the outcome for our students and staff. It is now everyone’s responsibility to make sure that not only do we have a policy that supports our marginalized students but we also continue to ensure our actions support this important policy.” 2
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Racist sentiment is typically handed down generation to generation. If it’s deliberate, it’s something I strongly feel amounts to a form of child abuse: to rear one’s impressionably very young children in an environment of overt bigotry — especially against other ethnicities and races.
Not only does it fail to prepare children for the practical reality of an increasingly diverse and populous society and workplace, it also makes it so much less likely those children will be emotionally content or (preferably) harmonious with their multicultural and multi-ethnic/-racial surroundings.
Children reared into their adolescence and, eventually, young adulthood this way can often be angry yet not fully realize at precisely what. Then they may feel left with little choice but to move to another part of the land, where their own ethnicity/race predominates, preferably overwhelmingly so.
If not for themselves, parents then should do their young children a big favor and NOT pass down onto their very impressionable offspring such bigoted feelings and perceptions (nor implicit stereotypes and ‘humor,’ for that matter). Ironically, such rearing can make life much harder for one’s own children.
While there’s research through which infants demonstrate a preference for caregivers who look like them [i.e. skin color], any future such biases and bigotries generally are environmentally acquired. Adult racist sentiments are often cemented by a misguided yet strong sense of entitlement, perhaps also acquired from one’s environment.
Maybe this social/societal problem could be proactively prevented by allowing young children to become accustomed to other ethnicities/races in a harmoniously positive manner. The earliest years are typically the best time to instill and even solidify positive social-interaction life skills/traits into a very young brain/mind. And one can imagine this would be particularly important to achieve within one’s educational community.