In Canada, the Black population is the third-largest racially visible group, yet students of African descent continue to face inequities in Canadian school systems. Students of African descent can benefit from learning from an Africentric perspective that cultivates their well-being and achievement while centring their lived experience as a person…

This article explores the issues surrounding the establishment of an Africentric public school in Ontario. It provides a historical overview of the foundation of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. as well as the benefits they provide to Black students, communities and the labor force. It extrapolates the tropes…

This paper draws on ideas of assemblage to examine the contingency and (in)coherence of education policy. The paper is a conceptual and thematic attempt to understand the policy terrain, broadly conceived, pertaining to opposition to the establishment of private Islamic schools in Australia and public Afrocentric schools in Canada. This opposition…

The relationships among race, class and academic achievement are complex, yet have been well documented in Canada for the last thirty years. Generations of students have experienced them--lowered expectations for achievement, gross generalizations about parents' backgrounds and aspirations, negative stereotypes of communities, and curricula that…

Given the economic, political, and social conditions in the world today and the increased diversity in Canadian classrooms, schools require teachers who have a strong sense of self-awareness and understanding of global issues. This article is based on empirical research involving preservice teachers from an Atlantic Canadian university. The…

Some epistemological issues underpinning alternative conceptualizations of education of children of African descent in Canada are discussed, with reference to the agency and the subjectivity of black female educators. The standard epistemologies must be reshaped to the pedagogical realities of black teachers and students in Canada. (SLD)

The powerlessness of African-Caribbean/Canadian males stems from racism, sexism, and the absence of acceptable models of manhood, and results in their numerous social and educational problems. Adult African-Caribbean/Canadian men serving as positive role models and mentors for boys in the school and community can encourage development of…

Argues for the establishment of "African-centered" schools on an experimental basis, in direct consultation and partnership with students, educators, administrators, and the local community. Maintains that most mainstream public schools reinforce concepts and values of the dominant culture and alienate students of color. (MJP)

Findings of a 3-year study of the experiences of Black and African-Canadian students in the Ontario public school system are presented. The paper focuses on urban students in four schools and on their parents' perceptions of public schooling. Interviews were held with nearly 150 African Canadian students, including 22 dropouts, some of whom…

Explores the relationships among family, community, and classroom teaching as they inform the perspectives of African-Canadian women teachers on teaching African-Canadian children. Interviews and observations of five teachers demonstrate how they fight for social justice and the academic achievement of their students. (SLD)