The Dreams Delayed: Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Ontario’s Public Education System Action Plan (“Action Plan”) outlines the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (the “Commission”/ “OHRC”) strategy to address systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination in Ontario’s education system. Developed with input from Black students, Black educators and administrators, and members of Black communities across Ontario, the Action Plan identifies challenges, strengths, opportunities, and priorities addressing discrimination and harassment for Black students, families, communities, and education service providers.
This Action Plan sets out a blueprint for change — a roadmap that places human rights at the core. Grounded in the legal framework of the Ontario Human Rights Code, it sets out actions that must guide education duty-holders to create learning environments where Black students can learn and reach their full potential. Our collective aim should be to recognize the dignity and worth of every person, providing equal rights and opportunities without discrimination.
Summary of Actions:
This Action Plan includes key themes for immediate and intermediate actions.
Accountability
Accountability is essential to ensure equality and non-discrimination for Black students in Ontario's publicly funded education system. It is essential that duty-holders shift from process-focused to outcome-focused accountability with committed leadership and systemic support for anti-Black racism initiatives.
Transparency
Transparency ensures that the public can see if and how the Ministry of Education, school boards, administrators, teachers, unions, and faculties of education are upholding human rights obligations. It also increases the public’s awareness and understanding of existing information and mechanisms to confront anti-Black racism and discrimination.
Key actions include:
- Making a formal, public acknowledgement of anti-Black racism and discrimination in education, along with a strategy to clearly communicate the acknowledgment.
- Developing a provincial Framework to address human rights, including anti-Black racism and discrimination, and the Ministry of Education developing a communications strategy for the accountability Framework.
- Centralizing the collection of data on student achievement and well-being disaggregated by grounds, including race, under the Human Rights Code.
Students’ Well-Being
Students’ well-being is a cornerstone of a successful education system. It is essential for fostering achievement and success in line with students' interests, abilities, and aspirations. Discriminatory practices which limit these factors have a negative impact on their well-being. Systemic change must focus on transforming the education system to be more supportive Black students, rather than expecting them to adapt to a discriminatory environment.
Key actions include:
- The Ministry of Education monitoring and expanding the Graduation Coach Program for Black Students.
- Education Duty-Holders expanding the student and family advocates system navigator program.
- School Boards creating inclusive guidance counselling for student transitional stages.
- School Boards creating affirmative education spaces for Black students.
Monitoring and Evaluation
To ensure accountability, transparency, monitoring, and evaluation in education must focus on achieving outcomes and progress in addressing anti-Black racism and discrimination. Effective monitoring requires collecting and analyzing data to understand and address systemic barriers. Consistent monitoring ensures transparency, accountability, and the ability to evaluate system performance on human rights issues, including well-being and student experiences.
Next Steps
The OHRC will use this Action Plan as a roadmap for a long-term, province-wide process to hold all duty-holders accountable for eliminating anti-Black racism and discrimination in the province’s education system. The OHRC will:
- Develop a strategy to monitor the implementation of this Action Plan and publish periodic updates on the implementation.
- Work with duty-holders and rights-holders on the implementation of the calls to action to improve outcomes for Black students and educators.
- Continue to engage with the Ministry of Education, faculties of education and the Ontario College of Teachers on the implementation of the actions they must take and will report publicly on outcomes.
Additional resources
News Release: Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Education Action Plan Launch
Compendium of Recommendations Online
List of Mental Health Supports