Randi Brooks 5

Blog #5

This weeks chapters included the role of the curriculum in Canada and how it is influenced. What I found particularly interesting in this chapter was the section describing the parental influence on the curriculum. "Parents feel that what is being taught contrasts sharply with the morals and worldviews that they wish to have instilled in their children" (131). For this reason, parents actually have the option to remove specific books from the school that they feel may be inappropriate or offensive for their children. This is something that is new to me, I never knew that parents have that much say in what their children are reading in school, although it definitely makes sense. "The Freedom of Expression Committee monitors censorship issues in Canada" (131) which includes removing books from school libraries that parents feel may be objective. I have never heard of this committee, but I'm glad that parents have somewhere to go to to discuss their uncomfortable or uneasy feelings in regards to the curriculum. 

Another thing that surprised me in this chapter was the opening of an Africentric school in Toronto. This school is described as it "has a Black- focused curriculum, but is not limited to Black students" (154). When I first started reading this section I immediately thought "why would they segregate Black students when we are trying to promote a multiculturalism in schools?" But once I read the reasoning for opening such a school, it makes sense and I like that the school is promoting history lessons in an African point of view rather than a European one. I think this gives students a different perspective on our history as well as an insight on another culture. 

Discussion question: What are your thoughts about The Freedom of Expression Committee? Do you agree with allowing parents the opportunity to suggest removing specific books from school libraries?