Addressing racism in the classroom requires educators to ask hard questions of themselves, white discomfort, and the discarding of old traditions.

In 1920, , then-deputy superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs is quoted for suggesting that his goal was to 鈥済et rid of the Indian problem.鈥� Scott鈥檚 solution was to expand the forcing Indigenous people to assimilate. One hundred years later, the legacy of residential schools continues to impact Canada鈥檚 current school systems. that Indigenous children continue to experience systemic racism by their peers, teachers and the larger community. Needless to say, shaming and assimilation persist today.

Over the past 16 years, I鈥檝e worked in education in various roles as a teacher, board lead, university course director and now as a vice-principal. Throughout this time, I鈥檝e noted many advancements in championing Indigenous education and narrowing the Indigenous achievement gap by increasing graduation rates. But time and time again, I鈥檝e also noticed deep discomfort and fear among educators when it comes to addressing anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism in schools.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel comfortable!鈥�

For the most part, educators want to have a positive effect on their students. But when asked to participate in creating that change by addressing racism, I鈥檝e witnessed some who squirm and say they prefer not to 鈥渞ock the boat.鈥� For systemic racism to be dismantled in Canadian schools, however, we need to address the that some educators feel in disrupting anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism in schools.

For example, during a staff meeting at a Scarborough school where I previously worked, an administrator asked staff members how racism was being spread at school. Was it the curriculum? Our choices of books? The way we speak to students? I thought these were excellent questions to ask to encourage self-reflection and to prompt discussion about potential areas for improvement. In response, however, there was a long silence.

By comparison, I asked colleagues at different schools if race-related conversations were also happening during their staff meetings. For example, looking at race-based data and examining in-school practices that might hinder Black and Indigenous students. Most said yes, but added that they were led largely by and racialized educators.

Why are some white educators so uncomfortable? Perhaps it鈥檚 fear that openly and honestly engaging in these critical conversations may result in being labelled 鈥渞acist鈥� or 鈥渋nsensitive.鈥� That said, many racialized and white educators do want to speak up. They are on a journey towards unpacking their or 鈥� but they don鈥檛 know how and where to begin or what language to use. Sometimes, it helps if a critical friend engages them in discussion. But this responsibility usually falls on Indigenous, Black and racialized people, which is problematic because the work of is a personal journey that doesn鈥檛 involve others.

鈥� I do not feel safe鈥�

This makes me wonder what the union鈥檚 role is in protecting racialized teachers from microaggressions and unintentionally or intentionally racist remarks. Whose safety matters when having these discussions? What role will the union play in dismantling racism at Canadian schools?I鈥檝e witnessed colleagues respectfully correcting white educators for saying: 鈥淚 do not think racism is that bad in our school鈥s it?鈥� Unfortunately, some have complained to the teachers鈥� union that they 鈥渄o not feel safe鈥� or feel 鈥渁ttacked鈥� whenever they鈥檙e corrected for making a racist or problematic statement.

There鈥檚 also significant discomfort among educators when it comes to using anti-racist language when teaching elementary students. I鈥檝e consistently heard some say that children at this age have 鈥渢ender minds鈥� or are 鈥渢oo young鈥� to learn, and that 鈥渨e don鈥檛 want to instill fear鈥� in them. Yet research suggests that from the age of two. That鈥檚 why anti-racist education shouldn鈥檛 be just one lesson or unit plan. Instead, it needs to be embedded in everyday practices, starting from kindergarten. And if a student uses the term 鈥渞acist鈥� incorrectly, teachers should take that as a learning opportunity to address the class.

鈥淚 have good intentions!鈥�

There is no doubt that educators have good intentions for student safety when participating in school board-wide events, such as , and . But what happens when these events cause harm to students?

For example, the purpose of Orange Shirt Day is for educators to teach students about the cultural genocide committed against First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit children, so it鈥檚 an opportunity for the school community to unite in the spirit of reconciliation. Specifically, students learn that the RCMP forcefully removed Indigenous children from their families and communities, as the Canadian government鈥檚 goal was to 鈥�

That鈥檚 why, on Sept. 30, they read about , a residential school survivor from Northern Secwpemc in British Columbia. As the story goes, Phyllis鈥� grandmother bought her an orange shirt to wear to St. Joseph鈥檚 residential school, but when she arrived, school officials took her shirt away. As a 6-year-old, Phyllis expresses that she felt worthless and like no one cared about her.

Despite this focus on Phyllis and other Indigenous residential school survivors, though, their experiences are often decentered on Orange Shirt Day. How? I鈥檝e seen students receive handouts with the sentence starter, 鈥淚 matter because鈥︹�� Students鈥� responses, which ranged from 鈥淚 am lucky I have a safe school鈥� to 鈥淚 have a mom and a dad,鈥� are all valid but the voices of Indigenous people are erased in the process. It鈥檚 essential that educators focus on Phyllis鈥� story because only then can Canadians move forward towards reconciliation. For example, educators can dive deeper into researching residential schools鈥� objectives, and then explain how they were wrongly informed by white supremacist ideologies.

Another board practice we need to reimagine is 鈥渟pirit days鈥� like Crazy Hair Day, which can be problematic if students choose to wear an Afro, cornrows or Native long braids as a costume. Students also learn that this type of hairstyle is 鈥渃razy,鈥� which dehumanizes Indigenous and Black people for the sake of 鈥渕aking school fun鈥� or 鈥渒eeping old traditions.鈥� What鈥檚 more, Sikh and Muslim students can鈥檛 participate in these activities because some wear a turban or hijab, so they鈥檙e automatically excluded.

Educators need to understand that some school traditions promote racism, sexism, classism and other forms of discrimination against marginalized groups. We can no longer say, 鈥淏ut we鈥檝e always done it this way鈥� or 鈥淚t鈥檚 a school tradition.鈥� For example, hold a spirit day when students identify acts of kindness among their peers and compliment them, or wear their favourite piece of clothing and share why it鈥檚 special to them. This would enable students to participate without having to assimilate or adhere to antiquated norms.

It鈥檚 time to involve students in critically rethinking past practices and reimagining new inclusive school traditions. Educators can no longer hide behind fear when Indigenous, Black and racialized students鈥� lives depend on it.

Ixchel Bennett is Indigenous Nahua/Zapoteca from Mexico. She is a vice-principal with Toronto District School Board in a school with a high population of Indigenous students. She is also a PhD Candidate with 91亚色鈥檚 first Indigenous PhD cohort.

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Dr. Shelia Harms, MD, a 4th year PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education is the recipient of the prestigious 2020 U21 Health Sciences Group (HSG) Teaching Excellence Award. The Award was established in 2014 by Deans of Medicine as a way to celebrate and reward exceptional educational scholarship, particularly amongst research intensive universities, across the U21 HSG network. The Award also helps to nurture international cooperation, one of U21鈥檚 key objectives, by offering faculty from different universities, and regions, to work together on exciting, interdisciplinary projects.

"Questions of learning in academic psychiatry simultaneously require a commitment to a discourse of the mind. It has been through the scholarly work of education that I have found a rich place to encounter thought anew,鈥� says Harms.  鈥淭his award depends on the possibility for shared educational transactions marked by success and failure alike. For this I am deeply grateful to the many students and educators who have created a generative space for me to engage and explore what it means to have an education in psychiatry.  I am honored to receive this award and the possibilities it opens for ongoing educational transformation. "

Clinically, Dr. Harms practices as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at McMaster Children鈥檚 Hospital with a focus on general outpatient care. Academically, she is in the role of Associate Chair Education within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences. She is actively involved in supervising undergraduate and postgraduate learners as well as teaching within the Faculty of Health Sciences. Dr. Harms has acted in numerous educational leadership roles within the department including the program director for Postgraduate Psychiatry Training and has held the role of the inaugural program director for subspecialty training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is also an active member on the Psychiatry Exam Board for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Harms directs the global mental health initiative in the department which includes leading a long-standing collaboration and novel educational initiative at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Western Uganda, where she also serves on faculty.

Dr. Harms is focusing on enhancing educational scholarship activities across the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. As part of these efforts, she is pursuing a PhD in education at 91亚色 under the supervision of Distinguished Research Professor and 91亚色 Research Chair in Pedagogy and Psycho-Social Transformation, Dr. Deborah Britzman. Harms dissertation is titled, 鈥淎 different kind of education: Notes from a psychiatrist". Her focus is on critical histories in Psychiatry. Dr. Harms is particularly interested in thinking about medical education using psychodynamic concepts as they are applied to learning, in an attempt to understand educational phenomenology that are both relevant and pressing in contemporary medical education. The dissertation鈥檚 themes include studies of uncertainty in learning, difficult knowledge, the role of bodies in the study of the mind, and the work of encountering colonialism.

鈥淚t is my great pleasure to congratulate Dr. Harms on her illustrious award. The field of psychiatric education, as with any education today, must undergo major transformations and this award recognizes Dr. Harms as one of its creative international innovators,鈥� said Professor Britzman. 鈥淒r. Harms entered the PhD program with a four-year SSHRC and a deep interest in problems of psychoanalytic approaches to education. Her dissertation, 鈥淎 different kind of education: Notes from a psychiatrist鈥� is a model of humanity and generosity. Dr. Harms continues to distinguish herself as a leading scholar, now by opening psychiatric experience with autoethnographic methods with psychoanalytic sensitivity.鈥�

Finally, Dr. Harms has been recently elected to the American College of Psychiatrists, the elite scientific college dedicated to professional leadership and highest standards of psychiatry through teaching, education, research, and clinical practice.

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