Remarks by Chief Commissioner Patricia DeGuire at the March 27, 2025 news conference on the launch of Dreams Delayed: Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism in Ontario’s Education System
Good morning, everyone, thank you for joining us for the release of Dreams Delayed the Ontario Human Rights Action Plan to address systemic anti-Black racism in Ontario's public education system.
Land Acknowledgement
As the agent of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, I begin by acknowledging that today’s event and the Commission’s office are located in what is now known as Toronto. So, we are all guests on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
I recognize that this land is the Traditional Territory of many First Nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Haudenosaunee), the Chippewa and the Wendat peoples.
I am mindful that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13, the Williams Treaties, and the Dish with One Spoon Wampum. And acknowledge that Toronto is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
It is important to acknowledge the land - until my extensive studies in Indigenous rights and land claims, I did not hear about the traditional names of the territories. Indigenous people and all the struggles they faced were spoken about in the past tense.
It is easy to deny Indigenous peoples of their rights if we historicize their struggles and simply pretend they do not exist. And so, as a displaced person of the African Diaspora, I take these opportunities to address the struggles and systemic oppression which have dispossessed Indigenous peoples of their lands. This is essential to human rights work around the world. I'm grateful to the Indigenous people who continue to care for the land across Turtle Island.
Introduction
One week ago, we marked over three decades of Canada recognizing the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Ontario Human Rights Commission acknowledges the global call to be resolute in our commitment to eradicate racism and all forms of discrimination and related forms of intolerance.
For decades Black communities and organizations have been calling attention to racism and discrimination in education across Canada. Within Ontario's education system racial discrimination and harassment continue to cast a shadow over the lives of Black children, youth, educators, and education workers. Laws, policies, and practices which perpetuate prejudices, biases, beliefs, and stereotypes have been embedded in Ontario's education system.
Today the Commission calls on all duty-holders in Ontario's education system to perform their responsibility and legal duties under the Ontario Human Rights Code to improve outcomes for Black students and Black educators so they can learn and teach in school environments free from discrimination and harassment. It is part of our commitment to address systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination in Ontario’s public education system.
Whether it is overt racism or as subtle as microaggressions, we know that racism and discrimination is traumatic, extremely painful, and destructive.
Pernicious and tenacious systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination have required Black parents, young people, community groups, educators, and other organizations to challenge policies and practices which create barriers in students’ daily lives - systemic barriers that often delay, defer or disrupt the dreams of Black learners.
Action Plan
The Dreams Delayed Action Plan that the Ontario Human Rights Commission is releasing today provides a blueprint to build a better future.
The three key themes in this Action Plan are accountable and transparency, monitoring, and evaluation and student well-being.
Accountability is essential to achieving equality and non-discrimination for Black students. Duty-holders must shift from a process focused to an outcome focused result, demonstrating committed and responsibility to leadership and systemic support for anti-Black racism initiatives that achieve positive outcome for students.
Transparency ensures that the public can see if and how duty-holders are upholding the human rights publications.
Monitoring and evaluation must focus on achieving outcomes and measurable progress in addressing anti-Black racism and discrimination.
This includes collecting and analyzing data to identify and address systemic barriers, ensuring consistent oversight mechanism to evaluate and measure the education system's performance on human rights issues including well-being and experience of students.
Student well-being is fundamental to the successful education system. It is vital to fostering achievement and success aligned with students’ interest, capacities, and ambitions. Discriminatory practices undermine well-being - they harm not just Black students but also the entire education system and society.
Systemic change must focus on creating learning environments which support Black students rather than expecting Black students to navigate and adapt to a discriminatory environment.
Many of the pressing calls for action demand immediate steps from the Ministry of Education, including:
- creating a provincial framework to address human rights and anti-Black racism
- developing a communication strategy for the accountable framework, and
- centralizing and standardizing data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Each of the 29 calls to action set out clear requirements to improve outcomes for Black students and educators…outcomes which place human rights at the very core to ensure that:
Black students can learn in school environments free from racial discrimination and harassment including anti-Black racism:
- Black students have equal opportunities to benefit from the education system, helping them achieve their full potential to contribute to society.
- And Black educators and administrators work in environments free from discrimination and harassment and have equal opportunities to achieve their full professional potential.
Collective work
Addressing anti-Black racism is not a task for the Commission alone. This is a collective work. Everyone, everyone of us, regardless of how small the contribution may be, must participate.
Ontario has a long and rich history of Black leadership, community engagement and innovation, from groundbreaking civil right lawyers, activists, to dedicated educators shaping future generations. For decades, Black leaders have founded organizations that championed social, economic, and political inclusion for Black people in Ontario.
As part of this work, the Commission engaged extensively with Black students, community members and education professionals. The Commission has built on existing research and long-standing and still relevant recommendations.
The actions heard throughout the consultation have been central to developing and shaping this Action Plan. These discussions about anti-Black racism and discrimination are not new and are not easy. Black communities have led these conversations for decades and will continue to do so as we push for lasting systemic change.
We have met tireless champions whose works have already made a significant impact in education. Their efforts often undertaken despite systemic challenges, demonstrate the power of advocacy, persistence, and community-led change.
Yes, there have been positive steps including initiatives and program which seek to address anti-Black racism in education. It has become a refrain in speaking about racial discrimination: “we have come a long way” - but there is much more to do. Indeed, progress has been made, but according to Dr. George Frasier, a renowned international social activist and economist, it takes Blacks and Indigenous people about 100 years before they achieve basic freedom. It took another 100 years before they achieved meaningful elements of social justice.
Change takes time. But we know every act counts no matter how small. We know that Blacks and Indigenous people and other racialized and religious communities in Canada continue to face racism and discrimination. Without confronting the underlying systemic causes, however, lasting change will remain elusive. Real change requires dismantling the structures that perpetuates anti-Black racism in our schools.
The path forward demands leadership, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to dismantling the barriers which continue to delay or disrupt the educational success of Black students for far too long.
So, the Commission is calling on all education duty-holders, with intention, purpose, and accountability to address the institutional conditions that sustain anti-Black racism and discrimination. The Commission is committed to continuing to work with all duty-holders to build on progress and the work that have been done.
As I close, I extend gratitude to many contributors who helped develop this Action Plan. I make special mention and give thanks to members of the Commission's Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Education Advisory Group, some of whom are here today and to the Commissioners, education duty-holders including staff at the Ministry of Education, students, education subject matter experts, key informants, and stakeholders. In addition, I extend a hearty thank you to all community leaders, members and organization of all consultations who helped mobilize engagement, share invaluable insights and for providing us space for these important discussions.