Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School, investigating anti-Black racism

Anti-Black Racism is defined as the policies and practices rooted in Canadian institutions such as health care, education, and justice that mirror and reinforce beliefs, prejudice, attitudes, stereotyping, and discrimination towards people of Black-African descent.

How does Anti-Black Racism impact health?

Racism can cause frequent stress on the body and trigger stress-coping behaviors that often lead to disease. A study investigating the possibility of links between Canadians’ race, experiences of discrimination, and risk for diseases such as high blood pressure found Black Canadians were almost two times more likely than White Canadians to be treated badly or with less respect.

The Hamilton- Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) is looking into alleged anti-Black racism at Bishop Ryan secondary school. Parents filed the complaints at the school. On Tuesday evening, the high school held a regular meeting but this issue was not on the agenda. As it is a human resources issue, the school says they did not discuss it thoroughly. Two meetings took place with officials and parents in March, said to the HWCDSB. To secure a third-party investigator, the process has begun.

Any further information has not been confirmed by the board yet at this time. According to the sources, they told CHCH news that the allegations involve a senior staff member who allegedly said the N-word while trying to stop students from using the N-word in the hallway. The sources also told CHCH news that currently the staff member is not at the school.  The catholic school board is taking these allegations very seriously.

How can we fight Anti-Black Racism?

• Acknowledge that Anti-Black Racism exists and that it has an impact on the health and well-being of Black Canadians.
• Eliminating Anti-Black Racism requires support from all levels of government, institutions, businesses, schools, healthcare, social service and community agencies, and individuals.
• Take a look at how or if you, your organization, agency are being inclusive and easily accessible to Black Canadians.
• Join the Black Health Alliance in working towards finding ways to address Anti-Black Racism in order to improve the health and well-being of Black Canadians.

Society likes to believe that the problem of racism will go away with time. History tells a different story; racial progress typically follows on the heels of intense struggle. There is no progress without struggle. Justice takes work. Black lives won’t matter in science until they matter to you.