BLAC opened its doors to the public in March of 2019. In the short time we have been open, we have become acutely aware through work with our community, and affirmed through recent media reports, that our children are, in many instances, not safe in Ontario’s schools. We believe that many school boards and school administrators are failing to meet their legal obligation to ensure the well-being, achievement and safety of all children in their care.
In particular, we are concerned by the apparent failure of school administrators to properly address the bullying of Black children. We believe that the impact of this failure is to negate the worth of our children and their bodies and that it is the result of anti- Black racism. As parents and all those who care for children, we all expect – and trust – that our children will be safe when they go to school. However, for the Black community, this trust is being violated. This violation, and the corresponding negative message it sends to our children about their worth in our society, is something no child should experience. It is our position that the excessive disciplinary measures employed against our children, the dismissive treatment of their parents in their efforts to protect their children, and the criminalization of both, are examples of anti-Black racism.