Education

Black children and youths in Canada experience poorer educational achievement than other children and youths, which leads to subsequent poor economic outcomes. Negative attitudes of teachers towards Black youths, lack of African-Canadian history and culture in the educational curriculum, low teacher expectations of Black children, alienating school environments, and a lack of Black teachers and mentors contribute to poor educational outcomes. Black children are also more likely to be expelled from school and are often disengaged as well as being less likely than other youths to attain a postsecondary qualification. Black parents’ interest in supporting their children is thwarted by structural and systemic barriers based on differential privileges and positions of power across diverse racial, class, and gender social locations. More research is needed to create interventions that promote the education and economic wellbeing of Black children and youth in Canada.

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