B.C.’s diversity must be reflected in the province’s schools and curriculum, and schools need to have policies in place to ensure they remain free of discrimination, according to the Ministry of Education.
“Our province is proudly diverse and our schools and our curriculum must proudly support a deep and broad understanding of culture, race and ancestry,” reads a joint anti-racism statement issued Friday by Minister of Education Rob Fleming with a number of K-12 education partners, including Indigenous, teachers’ and parents’ associations.
School districts and independent school authorities should also ensure no one is discriminated against based on, for example, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical or mental disability.
The ministry says a key component of its anti-racism strategy going forward will be the B.C. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
That act requires government to take all measures necessary to ensure B.C.’s laws are consistent with the standards set out in the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The ministry will also be “actively listening to people within and outside of our organizations who have faced prejudice and racism.”
“We all have a role to play in our collective commitment to eradicate systemic racism and overt racism in our education system,” reads the statement.
“What we hear from community members who have lived and observed racism will inform a provincial education action plan and help us understand the steps we need to take within our own organizations to ensure students, teachers, educators, support staff and parents feel safe, respected and welcome in our schools.
“It is our hope that the work we are beginning now will have a lasting impact for generations to come,” reads the statement.”
The Richmond Board of Education is taking a similar approach to combating racism in the city’s school system.
Last month, board passed a motion to start a diversity and anti-racism working group to talk to those who’ve experienced racism and see how it can be dealt with throughout the school system.
The first step, according to Trustee Sandra Nixon, who brought forward the motion, will be to bring together a group with representation for all staff groups, the Richmond Teachers’ Association, CUPE, students and parents.
“The Richmond way is really, let’s get us all together – let’s look at lived experience,” Nixon said at the time.
The minister of education’s statement Friday was issued jointly with the First Nations Education Steering Committee, First Nations Schools Association, BC School Trustees Association, BC Teachers’ Federation, CUPE BC, BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, BC Principals’ and Vice-Principals Association, BC School Superintendents Association, BC Association of School Business Officials and the Federation of Independent School Associations.