First Nations in Ontario
To delve further into this topic of First Nations, Metis and Inuit within the educational system in Ontario we decided to research it for our group presentation. For this presentation we looked at the vast gap in funding and educational success between secondary schools outside of and on First Nation reserves.
When we look at the table above it shows the vast difference in educational standards between provincial schools in Ontario and those on reserves in Ontario. This table exemplifies how the Canadian government and educational system devalue education that is not achieved in the traditional setting where the "dominant" ideals and knowledge can be transmitted to the students. This further demonstrates the issues raised by Fingarsen, where the dominant culture forces it's values on all students from various backgrounds. This shows that although students are not required to attend provincial schools and learn mandated curriculum determined by the dominant culture, schools that teach other concepts or to other cultures are not formally recognized and as a result force these students to fall behind and in turn teaches society to devalue what these cultures find important.
To further demonstrate this, Stats Canada (2016) developed a chart that shows that employment rates for First Nations, Metis and Inuit people are less than those of Non-Aboriginal identity both with and without a high school diploma. To me this demonstrates once again that because their culture differs from the dominant white culture their education is valued less and it is tougher to find employment, both on and off of reserves. This is something that really sunk in with me during this project, because of the colour of my skin and my cultural background I have an advantage over others when trying to find jobs. This concept was also mentioned by Peggy McIntosh (1989), in an article where she states that as white people we see racism as "something that puts others at a disadvantage, but had not been taught to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantage" (pg. 1). This once again showed how ignorant I was and how society systematically enforces the fact that once culture can be valued more than an other.
When we look at the table above it shows the vast difference in educational standards between provincial schools in Ontario and those on reserves in Ontario. This table exemplifies how the Canadian government and educational system devalue education that is not achieved in the traditional setting where the "dominant" ideals and knowledge can be transmitted to the students. This further demonstrates the issues raised by Fingarsen, where the dominant culture forces it's values on all students from various backgrounds. This shows that although students are not required to attend provincial schools and learn mandated curriculum determined by the dominant culture, schools that teach other concepts or to other cultures are not formally recognized and as a result force these students to fall behind and in turn teaches society to devalue what these cultures find important.
To further demonstrate this, Stats Canada (2016) developed a chart that shows that employment rates for First Nations, Metis and Inuit people are less than those of Non-Aboriginal identity both with and without a high school diploma. To me this demonstrates once again that because their culture differs from the dominant white culture their education is valued less and it is tougher to find employment, both on and off of reserves. This is something that really sunk in with me during this project, because of the colour of my skin and my cultural background I have an advantage over others when trying to find jobs. This concept was also mentioned by Peggy McIntosh (1989), in an article where she states that as white people we see racism as "something that puts others at a disadvantage, but had not been taught to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantage" (pg. 1). This once again showed how ignorant I was and how society systematically enforces the fact that once culture can be valued more than an other.
References
McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 1-4.
Statistics Canada (2016). Aboriginal peoples: Fact sheet for Ontario. Retrieved from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-656-x/89-656-x2016007-eng.htm
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