Should Toronto’s schools speak one cultural language, or many? | Toronto Star

The usual debate over targeted vs general programming. It starts with having information regarding which communities are struggling, and then developing appropriate supports. When such programs complement regular school programming, these can address the problems while not “ghettoizing”. Separate schools for ethnic and other groups, on the other hand, do not foster integration.

Canada’s award-winning mentoring program Pathways to Education has helped wrestle dropout rates to the ground in 15 of the country’s poorest communities by offering scholarships, tutoring and mentoring to entire neighborhoods — not the ethnic groups within them, said Vivian Prokop, president of Pathways Canada. Still, she noted there are different challenges when working with new immigrants, with aboriginal students and with home-grown “generational poverty.”

“The barriers to education vary based on a child’s postal code, and we don’t want to label or segregate students into ethnic groups,” said Prokop. “We offer wraparound supports — deep intervention — to the whole community.”

Jo-Ann Davis, the chair of Toronto’s Catholic board, believes you can serve specific groups without fuelling stereotypes. “We want kids to do well, and I believe cultural background is very important and has to be honoured. “We’re trying to bring those voices to the centre of the conversation, even though the practices will be different.”

Professor Carl James, who teaches urban diversity at York University’s faculty of education, said he’s not worried about giving extra help to certain ethnic groups as long as they don’t forget they’re part of a larger society.

“It might build the confidence and knowledge needed to feel more comfortable going into the larger community,” he said. “Whatever we are as a country is a combination of all of us.”

Should Toronto’s schools speak one cultural language, or many? | Toronto Star.