1/ There have been significant changes to ed during this pandemic. Many of these changes have exacerbated existing educational inequities & some of these "changes" will become dangerous educational *reforms* to privatize education and deprofessionalize educators.
2/ Kevin Kumashiro shared this statement signed by over 250 educators & scholars of colour in the U.S. about this very topic. It got me thinking about applications to the ON context & the need for critical educators/scholars/communities to come together.
texasedequity.blogspot.com/2020/03/this-m…
texasedequity.blogspot.com/2020/03/this-m…
3/ Increased privatization of ed and the deprofessionalization of educators increases racial & economic disparities in schools & society & undermines educators. It is an *intentional* move by conservative gov'ts and corps to funnel funds from public hands to private pockets.
4/ "Crisis" can lead to greater equity but it can easily increase inequities. As critical educators, communities and scholars, we need to come together & be vigilant in our observations, critiques and responses. Below is a start - please add more ideas!
5/ Privatization in ON ed: fees and fundraising, buying grades from credit mills, the Learning Opportunity Grant being used elsewhere, "speciality" schools/program, streaming into special education/applied/academic...standardized testing...
6/ Privatization in ON ed - equal vs. equitable funding formula, calls for austerity & reduced spending, $$ to edu publishers, increasing presence of private tech companies, Ontario's worrisome plans to privatize ed through "e-learning", decreased supports for special needs Ss
7/ Deprofessionalization of educators - this has always been a challenge in ON - esp. aims to reduce union strength/power. Deferring to "experts" outside of education changes the "why" of schooling, which will inevitably change the what and the how of pedagogy and schooling
8/ Deprofessionalization of educators - less trust in the capacity of eds, increased surveillance/control/punishment, less investments in improving teaching & learning...in what ways does focusing on teachers detract from larger structural issues such as privatization,
9/ And interwoven throughout all of this...the complete erasure/silencing of equity-minded, Indigenous and race-related policies, priorities, practices, voices & pedagogies, as though racialized students and educators only matter once white, settler needs have been met.
10/ We don't have to look far to see the impacts of increased privatization in ed and deprofessionalization of teachers. We need to act now.
What do we need to look out for? How do we be vigilant, together? How do we collectivize in this moment?
What do we need to look out for? How do we be vigilant, together? How do we collectivize in this moment?
