Africentric Curriculum

So it appears that educators in a troubled neighbourhood of Toronto are implementing an "Africentric curriculum".

A math unit on racial profiling is part of a new black-focused curriculum expected to be tested by Canada's largest school board this fall.

The new "Africentric" curriculum is designed to boost pride and test scores among black students. The program, which would include 10 social-studies units, likely will be launched in November in grades 6, 7 and 8 at Brookview Middle School, on Jane St. north of Finch Ave. W.

The new "Africentric" curriculum is designed to boost pride and test scores among black students.

The thinking belying this is the farcical notion that black kids drop out in disproportionate numbers because of poor self-esteem, and that perhaps if they saw themselves represented in the books, they'd be more engaged in school.

A noble idea and I commend them for their altruism. Unfortunately it's dead wrong.

"It was obvious to us that a significant number of black students were not having the success in school we think they should, partly because the curriculum is Eurocentric and they don't see themselves in the stories and lessons," said educator Lorna Wiggan, a member of the advisory committee and co-ordinator of the Africentric day camp at Shoreham Public School."

"Teachers know the importance of self-esteem to learning, and if students see themselves identified in stories and music and art, they can start to believe they can be successful," she said.

Newsflash! Insofar as a homogeneous "black community" really exists, the kids don't drop out because of a Eurocentric curriculum. It's because many are reared in unstable single mother environments!

She also cites that the present curriculum is Eurocentric! Well duh! That's because Canada is a nation with a Christian European foundation, and because Europeans account for a vastly disproportionate share of contributions to maths, science, philosophy, political thought, the arts, civilization, and human endeavour in general. Do we neglect calculus because Newton was English?

Why can't these liberal numbskull M.Ed eggheads get their heads out of the sand and tackle the root of the problem? It's not Eurocentrism, for if it was, why do many non-European groups do well? It has to do with environment and culture. How about some family planning/contraceptive education classes - they would do a lot more good.

It's great to learn about your heritage and everything and if it instills more ethnic pride then all power to you. But it shouldn't come at the expense of Canadian history or literature, nor at the expense of math or science - skills that will be useful. But no, what will happen is they'll be fed a lot of the standard liberal tripe about slavery and subjugation and segregation and institutional racism. Many will come out more angry, bitter, resentful, and vengeful than before.