This toolkit was developed by Parents of Black Children.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS TOOLKIT:

Advocacy is a right! All parents, regardless of what school their child attends, have a right to have advocates present with them when engaging with school board staff.

Advocacy is historical, anchored in social justice, and a deep part of the experiences of Black communities. We support each other because we know that the system is not neutral. No one should have to face a system alone.

There is no doubt that there is a crisis of anti-Black racism within our education system. This crisis is not new. For generations, Black people have faced and overcome anti-Black racism within the education and adjacent systems. The success of Black children within these systems, despite the barriers, racial violence, and overwhelming odds, is a testament to the perseverance and determination of people of African descent. It is also a testament to advocacy. We know that we are not the first to support Black families navigating the education system. Black community members and groups have provided this support for decades and have a long legacy of advocacy and systems navigation for each other. Historic community organizations like the Colored Ratepayers Association in 1846, Kent County Civil Rights League in 1891, Black Education Project in 1970, Organization of Parents of Black Children and Black Liaison Committee in 1977, have all provided game-changing advocacy to Black communities within Ontario. Parents of Black Children’s Systems Navigation program has formalized that advocacy support.

The Systems Navigation initiative is designed to stand beside parents as they navigate the education system. Systems Navigation and advocacy support for communities most impacted by disproportionality and disparity have a long legacy in providing assistance to those most impacted by disproportional and disparate impacts across systems. Parents of Black Children do not stand alone in providing systems navigation and advanced support. They borrowed their model from existing support frameworks within systems such as the healthcare and child welfare sectors.

This advocacy framework is anchored is four main pillars:

1. Urgency
2. Consent
3. Transparency
4. Accountability