CTF/FCE Statement Addressing Anti-Racism
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE), the voice of over 300,000 Canadian teachers from coast to coast to coast, calls on the Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers to affirm the central role that primary and secondary education plays in shaping an inclusive society, one based on the values of human rights, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and reconciliation.
As Ministers responsible for human rights gather to discuss priorities for FPT governments, it is our hope that they will use this meeting to identify immediate actions each government can take to address racial barriers that still exist across Canada.
The Federal Government’s National Public Education and Awareness Campaign is a necessary first step, but it is not enough. All Provinces and Territories must commit to developing robust education policies dedicated to anti-racist practices, including, but not limited to: targeted hiring practices for Black, Indigenous, and teachers of colour, professional development across all education stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, board, and Ministry level personnel, and K-12 curriculum development, with accountability mechanisms to ensure policy enactment in practice. The development of K-12 anti-racism curriculum cannot be relegated to single-option elective courses for high school level students, as is current practice, but must be developed with members from Black, Indigenous, and communities of colour to embed content and anti-racist principles across age levels and content areas.
For Canada, this moment in time presents a reckoning not only of our past actions, but also of the current reality we all face in addressing historical and present-day racism, and the responsibility all Canadians have in changing it. Which is why Ministers must seize this opportunity to begin undoing and correcting centuries-long injustices experienced by Black, Indigenous, and peoples of colour in Canada. They have the chance to place the nation on the right side of history and become leaders both here at home and around the world.
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation
Founded in 1920, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation is the national voice for the teaching profession. As the national alliance of provincial and territorial teacher organizations, the CTF/FCE represents over 300,000 elementary and secondary school teachers across Canada.
Media contact
Andrew King,
Canadian Teachers’ Federation
Contact
Mobile: 819-213-7847
