Toronto District School Board approves mandatory Indigenous course for Grade 11 students

BY PAUL JUNOR

The Trustees of the Toronto District School Board voted in favour to replace the current compulsory Grade 11 course with one called “Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Metis and Inuit Voices.”

Rachel Chernos Lin, Chair of the TDSB shared her thoughts with the media, “This will give students a sense of Indigenous voices, of Indigenous authors, of the Indigenous experience in Canada, which is part of our responsibility in ensuring the call to action in truth and reconciliation, but also a greater opportunity for students to have that learning that the vast majority of Canadians never had growing up. It’s not meant to replace, it’s meant to enrich.”

The implementation of this course is reflective of changes that other school boards have voted on. The York Region District School Board and the Durham District School Board will be going ahead in 2023 to ensure that this Indigenous course is taught as a Grade 11 English credit. The course is taught in 29 out of 110 secondary schools in Toronto at the moment.

The Grade 11 course was created by the Ministry of Education and has been taught in TDSB for quite some time. It is supported by: the Elders’ Council, the Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee, the TDSB’s Urban Indigenous Education Centre, and Indigenous writers, poets, and artists. When this course is compared with the current compulsory Grade 11 English course, there are four identical strands: First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Perspectives and Text Forms in Canada, Oral Communications, Reading and Literature Studies, Writing, and Media Studies.

Isaiaih Shafqat, an Indigenous student trustee was instrumental in pushing to have the Indigenous course compulsory in Grade 11. This course will be taught from a trauma-informed culturally responsive and sensitive perspective. He adds, “This is a really important change that is happening. Including Indigenous perspectives and worldviews in a mainstream course in the largest school board in Canada sends a strong message, and one that I hope ripples throughout the province.”

He continues, “Indigenous resurgence is a key part of reconciliation, and when people are interested in reconciliation that’s when we can see change that is transformative, and that really honours Indigenous people, the lived Indigenous peoples, and the lived experience that we have. Indigenous victories are often hidden. Being the largest school board in Canada and having this course mandatory, people will have to listen, and they will have to learn.”

On February 3^rd, 2023, a @isaiha-shafqat tweeted, “I want to acknowledge that this work has and will always be for students. Students are the number one stakeholders in education, and students love to learn when they’re reflected in the classroom. TDSB has enacted critical change and students will have a better understanding of Indigenous Peoples, issues, culture, and histories, because of it. Truth and Reconciliation is an on-going commitment and one we continue to work towards. The work is not over. I am excited to continue this important work.”

Colleen Russell-Rawlins, Director of Education at the TDSB states, “I am fully supportive of the gradual implementation of this important course in all TDSB secondary schools. Indigenous Elders and scholars have reminded us that truth must come before reconciliation, yet the TDSB and the Ontario education system have no mechanism yet for ensuring that all students learn the truth about Indigenous: brilliance, contributions, history, and learn from contemporary voices in Canada. This is an exciting opportunity to ensure our students graduate with a greater understanding of Indigenous cultures and history than their parents/caregivers.”

The TDSB indicated that there would be a report prepared that will provide greater information about the implementation of this course. There will be details released later with respect to timelines; staff and students will be able to access this course on the board website.