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Bullying Awareness + Prevention Week and Beyond.
What Does it Mean to Be Anti-Racist?
What Does it Mean to Be Anti-Racist?
To be anti-racist means that you challenge systemic inequities. Anti-racists actively interrupt and confront racism whether in the form of racist attitudes and beliefs; unjust practices, policies, and laws. Anti-racists actively disrupt racism through education and action. They learn about different social identities, the history of colonialism and resistance against it. Anti-racists actively seek the elimination of racism manifest systemically (policies, practices), subtly (microaggressions), and as individual racism (attitudes and beliefs).
To be anti-racist means that you challenge systemic inequities. Anti-racists actively interrupt and confront racism whether in the form of racist attitudes and beliefs; unjust practices, policies, and laws. Anti-racists actively disrupt racism through education and action. They learn about different social identities, the history of colonialism and resistance against it. Anti-racists actively seek the elimination of racism manifest systemically (policies, practices), subtly (microaggressions), and as individual racism (attitudes and beliefs).
to be Anti-Racist at Peel District School Board
to be Anti-Racist at Peel District School Board
It is essential to infuse culturally responsive and relevant practices into everyday interactions with students in order to recognize and validate their identities, and to meet their diverse learning needs. These are critical practices that disrupt and dismantle anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Muslim hate, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination that oppress. This is the transformational change that is required for all students to experience a sense of belonging and well-being in our schools.
It is essential to infuse culturally responsive and relevant practices into everyday interactions with students in order to recognize and validate their identities, and to meet their diverse learning needs. These are critical practices that disrupt and dismantle anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Muslim hate, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination that oppress. This is the transformational change that is required for all students to experience a sense of belonging and well-being in our schools.
Committing to the work of being anti-racist requires acknowledging racism, validating differences and interrupting differential treatment based on race.
As Angela Davis says, “It is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” Educators have a responsibility to educate about the existence of racism in the world (currently and historically), and participate in the act of dismantling it. Being an anti-racist educator is an active process. Not only do we need to consider when we have spoken and when we have been silent, our day-to-day teaching should address, challenge and dismantle racism in all its forms.
All Peel staff need to employ an integrative anti-racist approach that centers the saliency of race and intersects with other aspects of identity such as gender, sexuality, class, ability, faith and creed (see Intersectionality image below). When educators affirm and center student identity, all students are valued for who they are and are empowered to learn to their greatest potential. (Empowering Modern Learners: Addendum 2020)
With a specific focus on anti-Black racism, anti-Muslim hate & Islamophobia, antisemitism and anti-Indigenous racism, the following supports and resources are provided to schools to #ChooseACTION to be Anti-Racist.
Racial Bullying
Racial Bullying
For our students we consistently need to remind them to:
Report IT!
All students have the right to feel safe at school.
If you are aware of an unsafe situation, witnessed or the victim of bullying/harassment/violence, Report It! Talk to your parent or caregiver, talk to a friend who will help report it, talk to a community member, talk to a staff member at your school, talk to the Principal. Tell someone so action may be taken. If the bullying is hate or criminal harassment call Police. Anonymous reporting at Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or if it is an emergency call 911.
Why Does Racism Occur?
Why Does Racism Occur?
Our views and beliefs develop as we grow and are influenced by friends and family, neighborhoods, school and what we see and read in the media. However, it is the history of colonialism and enslavement in Canada that has socialized a belief of racial superiority over other groups (i.e. Black, Indigenous and racialized communities). This history continues to influence attitudes and beliefs about those communities and has shaped how communities are treated today. Racism in society, deeply entrenched in our systems and institutional practices affects how individuals perceive social differences, often in hierarchical ways. Unexamined beliefs that position groups and members of groups as more valued, talented, prosperous, etc. naturally lead to institutional policies, practices and micro-interactions informed by these beliefs, biases, stereotypes and prejudices. Although racism is a systemic and structural problem deeply rooted in our history, we are all complicit in contributing to its current existence. Therefore, we are ALL RESPONSIBLE for making the change by being the change. Biases and prejudices can be unlearned. Acknowledging your role in enabling the status quo, actively seeking opportunities to learn about alternate views, and critically questioning policies and procedures are just some ways of being anti-racist.
The Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre outlines Four Key Principles to Address Racism And Bullying:
The Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre outlines Four Key Principles to Address Racism And Bullying:
● Acknowledge that racism exists in wider society, and that it can lead to racist bullying in schools
● Let the students know where you stand and that racism is discriminatory
● Listen to children and young people
● Involve children and young people in solutions
There are many similarities between bullying incidents and bullying informed by racism, such as they both cause the victim great distress. However, there are some differences in how bullying based on racism affects students. Some differences are:
“Racism has a long history affecting millions of people and is a common feature in wider society.”
“The distinctive feature of a racist attack or insult is that a person is attacked not as an individual, as in most other offences, but as the representative of a family, community or group. Other members of the same group, family or community are in consequence made to feel threatened and intimidated as well.”
“Most bullying involves a series of incidents over time. In the case of racist bullying, however, a single one-off incident may have precisely the same impact as a series of incidents over time. This is because it may be experienced by the person at the receiving end as part of a general pattern of racist hostility.”
Source: “Bullying around racism, religion and culture” (2006), Learning Wales at 45.
Is it Conflict or is it Bullying?
Is it Conflict or is it Bullying?
Conflict is a disagreement, a difference of opinion or interests between people where there is no real or perceived power imbalance. In a conflict, both parties have power to influence the situation. That is their goal. Individuals involved in a conflict may disagree vehemently. Emotions may run high where both parties are upset. When conflict is badly managed or unresolved, it may result in aggression or intentional harm.
Conflict may be an inevitable part of group dynamics, but bullying is not. In each scenario, a different response is required.
When the elements that characterize bullying are present in a situation where there is aggression, conflict resolution is not a recommended response. Instead, adults need to ensure the safety of the student who is targeted and ensure that the wrongdoer who has bullied, or encouraged the bullying, takes responsibility for their actions. A restorative conversation might help only if the aggressor is genuinely willing to take full responsibility for their actions and seek ways to repair the harm AND if the targeted individual feels this is something they want to move forward. Safety for the targeted individual(s) is prioritized. Participation in restorative conversation is always voluntary for all involved or affected. A forced restorative conversation may cause further victimization and harm. Instead, staff can work restoratively with each student individually to support. Families should always be engaged in the processes and supports used in responding to bullying situations for their children.
Source: https://www.safeatschool.ca/plm/interrupting-bullying/simple-strategies/conflict-vs-bullying
Page credits: Chauhan, Krug, Sheikh 2020
#chooseACTION to BE Anti-Racist
#chooseACTION to BE Anti-Racist
Website Acknowledgments and Credits:
Website Acknowledgments and Credits:
For this toolkit, information has been gathered and interwoven from multiple sources with some PDSB and original content. Best efforts have been made to compile all resources and supports with links and credits to their original source.
Many thanks to Natasha Henry, Curriculum Consultant, for her contributions to the supports and resources to disrupt and dismantle Anti-Black Racism.
Note: The inclusion of a link to another site on this Website does not imply any endorsement of the sites themselves or of those in control of them.
As a learning institution we acknowledge that equity work is ever-evolving - but it is also work that cannot wait. The resources shared in support of Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week are not the only way, and are not necessarily the one "right" way to develop an anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices, but they do reinforce the notion that each of us can be an agent of change in ensuring schools embrace the lived experiences of all students. All staff are encouraged to use the Accountability + Feedback part of the website to suggest or report a resource.
Text Credits
Text Credits
MacLeod, Elizabeth, and Mike Deas. Meet Willie ORee. Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2020.
Muhammad, Ibtihaj. The Proudest Blue. Andersen Press Ltd, 2020.
Visual Credits
Visual Credits
"Social Elimination of Racism." Public Service Alliance of Canada - Confronting Racism. 20 March 2019. http://psacunion.ca/sites/psac/files/styles/panopoly_image_full/public/social-elimination_of_racial_discrimination-en.png?itok=p6kktPCu . Accessed 7 January 2020.
Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week contact:
Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week contact:
Crissa Hill, Coordinating Principal, Indigenous Education & Equity
Kelly Krug, Coordinator, Social Emotional Learning & Well-being Department
Website Production, Coordination, and Maintenance by:
Avni Chauhan, Resource Teacher, Social Emotional Learning & Well-being
Kelly Krug, Coordinator, Social Emotional Learning & Well-being Department
Maham Sheikh, Resource BEA, Indigenous Education & Equity
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