(Name-mce) ListServ Curriculum racist, says Mt. Doug student

[bill at billhowe.org]

Curriculum racist, says Mt. Doug student 

 

 

 

By Andrea Lavigne

Oak Bay News, British Columbia

Sep 08 2006 

 

 

Jerry Li Xie spent his summer vacation thinking about school. 

 

The 15-year-old Mount Doug student is leading an online letter campaign
calling for the elimination of racism in the school curriculum and the
introduction of multicultural subject matter. 

 

"I think it's my obligation as a youth to fight the issue in the society." 

 

Li was motivated to take action after facilitating a workshop for the film
Sifting Through Layers, a look at systemic racism in Canadian society. 

 

After garnering support from his peers at the Inter Cultural Association's
Youth Against Racism, Li created a website urging the Minister of Education
to consider a multicultural curriculum, eliminate systemic racism in
textbooks, foster ideas of multiculturalism in schools and start
counter-racism education for elementary school students. 

 

"Racism exists both overtly and disguisedly in schools and everyone is
related to it," he writes in his letter to the B.C. Minister of Education,
adding that social studies textbooks are guilty of concealing Canada's
history of racism. 

 

He also accuses some teachers of side-stepping discussions on racism and
multicultural because it's a sensitive issue. 

 

"If it's concealed then discussions around race and ethnicity cannot be held
in class and hence, students are not given an opportunity to think, reflect,
and, as Chinese people say, use history as a mirror." 

 

And while Li says other teachers support his ideas, they are not qualified
to present them in class. 

 

"Many teachers I know have good intentions and the right attitude toward the
issue of racism, but there are not enough adequate studies on racism and
counter racism. So many teachers actually lacked the ability to offer
multicultural education in the classroom." 

 

Dr. David Lai, a professor at the University of Victoria, champions the
cause. Lai presented Li's plans to the Multiculturalism Advisory Council in
August. As well, he received positive feedback from the BC Federation of
Labour Human Rights Committee, who will circulate his letter and discuss
ways to implement his suggestions. 

 

Jorge E. Salazar, Child and Youth Officer for B.C., has also contacted Li
for a meeting. 

 

For more on Li's campaign visit www.geocities.com/jerrylixie.

 

 





Bill Howe 
 <http://www.billhowe.org/> http://www.billhowe.org - Multicultural
Educators to South Africa 2006 - Join Me on this Exciting Trip
 
Past-President 

National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME)
 <http://www.nameorg.org/> http://www.nameorg.org

 

 

 

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