Plans for an Africentric high school were withdrawn by staff at the Toronto District School Board, less than a day after a heated community meeting revealed strong objections to the idea among members of the community.
Advocates for the school railed against TDSB staff for failing to consult the community before releasing their plan to open the controversial facility inside a wing at Oakwood Collegiate, and blamed them for igniting the controversy.
Education director Chris Spence said he was “fully aware that the process has been problematic” but that he remained “supportive” of the school.
An Africentric primary school, launched two years ago after months of public consultation, has widely been considered a success, and advocates expected a warmer reception for a secondary school from the Oakwood community.
“I don’t think we need to go up against [the Oakwood] community, certainly not at the same time as we try to get people to accept the idea of an Africentric high school,” said Winston LaRose, executive director of the Jane-Finch Concerned Citizens Organization.
He said the high school is a “natural evolution” from the primary program and the board should start discussions with a school more receptive to the idea.
“This is urgent,” said Donna Harrow, one of the women who helped found the elementary school. “The issue is we have students in our system who are failing.”
Black students within the TDSB are among the most likely to live in poverty, to be disengaged and 40 per cent drop out.
The intent of expanding to a high school was to provide a continuum for students enrolled in the Africentric elementary school at Sheppard Public School, which boasts high test scores for its 161 students and has a waiting list of 55 students.
The proposal also suggested if the Africentric program is successful at Oakwood, a second alternative school could be opened in the east end at Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute in September 2012.
Beth Davey, co-chair of Oakwood Collegiate’s school council, said that students unanimously favoured introducing Africentric elements to the curriculum over opening a “school inside a school.”
She also expressed concern over the Africentric school’s mandate to reach underachieving students.
“Most students don’t want to blend their day-to-day with a critical mass of underachieving kids.”
With a report from Tamara Baluja
