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Noha Beshir's avatar

We learned so little of this in school 25/30 years ago, but I have watched both my boys learn a lot about many of the Black folks key to Canada's history in their public education over the last few years and have learned alongside them. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

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C. Elyse's avatar

I’ve never received a Canadian common education, but you’ve confirmed what I’ve been told by other Canadian residents. It’s good that it’s become more inclusive, and I’m interested to know if it’s super inclusive. Thoughts? And, thanks for reading

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Noha Beshir's avatar

I mean I still feel like they mostly talk about this stuff during Black History Month instead of just incorporating it more into the overall curriculum.

But I will say that the social studies / history unit my 6th grader learned this year was significantly different than what I learned at his age.

-A lot about the underground railroad and the Black communities that made their way to Canada and then set up in Nova Scotia.

-More explanation about how the arrival of European settlers negatively affected both the environment and the Indigenous population.

What I'm waiting to see is how they address the more recent history. The Canadian government is still responsible for the Sixties Scoop, and even though they learn about residential schools they don't learn about the pipelines that many Indigenous communities are currently resisting, or about the way both Indigenous and Black populations are grossly overrepresented in the prison system.

If they don't cover that at school, I cover it at home.

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C. Elyse's avatar

Keep me posted on the handling of recent history, but by inclusion, I hoped you would say the Canadian common education honored all cultures, races, nationalities to some extent during each school term.

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Noha Beshir's avatar

Yes it was all positive. I don't know how much of that was due to the awesome intentions of his current teacher.

I certainly didn't dislike anything I heard. My only complaints would have been about papering over some of the issues of the past/present that I think we need to look more directly in the eye.

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C. Elyse's avatar

That’s good to learn, and it’s also great when a teacher goes beyond!

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Wendy  Gray's avatar

Thank you for sharing and educating on this Black History in Canada! I knew none of these historical people or occurrences. Will be adding these facts to those we share with our grandkids. Blessings, ~Wendy 💜

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C. Elyse's avatar

You’re welcome, thank you more for reading! And thanks for the blessings, many of the same to you!

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Craig Strickland's avatar

I always appreciate your fascinating and often unexpected historical pieces on places throughout the world. I was especially intrigued by how Viola Desmond's "protest" so closely mirrored Rosa Parks' refusal to leave her own seat. Those are ladies with guts. Thanks for sharing.

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C. Elyse's avatar

Hi there - thank you so much, I greatly appreciate your encouragement! And please stay tuned for next Wednesday; the mirror to American history is sure to boggle the mind! Thank you again, and have a great day.

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