NCSS Anti-Racism Policy 

 

  1. Statement of Belief

 

Racism is the belief that one group of people, identified by physical characteristics of shared ancestry (such as skin colour), is superior to another group of people that look different from themselves. Racism occurs when individuals or groups are disadvantaged or mistreated based on their perceived race and/or ethnicity either through individualistic or systemic racism. 

 

NCSS recognizes the role that racism plays in creating poor student outcomes as well as sustaining unsafe learning environments for Indigenous, Black, and racialized students. The impact of racism is significant on young individuals because they are in a crucial stage of growth and development. Racism creates significant disparities for students resulting in higher instances of stress, self-reported poor health, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.

 

NCSS has a moral and legal responsibility to create, and sustain, safe and inclusive learning and working environment, free from racial discrimination, harassment and microaggressions. Therefore, NCSS is committed to the equitable treatment of all students, employees, and school district stakeholders regardless of their ancestry, country of origin, ethnicity, or cultural background. We believe there is no place for racism, discrimination, or intolerance in our school. 

 

This Anti-Racism Policy has been developed in accordance with its Mission Statement as well as the B.C. Human Rights Code, the B.C. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the Multiculturalism Act, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom.

 

  1. Behaviors which Violate the Anti-Racism Policy

 

The following behaviours are unacceptable and will not be tolerated at NCSS:

  • Racial slurs, derogatory comments, or insults targeting someone’s race or ethnicity (in person or online)
  • Discriminatory actions, such as exclusion, unfair treatment, or harassment based on race
  • Microaggressions (subtle, often unintentional, expressions of bias or stereotypes)
  • Systemic or institutional racism within educational policies, practices, or procedures
  • Any conduct that leads to discrimination or creates an environment conducive to racial discrimination
  • Other (any other instances where race or ethnicity is a factor in unfair treatment, prejudice, or harm
  • Any acts of retaliation and making dishonest or insincere allegations, complaints, or accusations related to race; and
  • Racialized inequities for students and staff

 

  1. Responding to Allegations of Racism

 

NCSS staff and leadership are required to respond promptly and appropriately to allegations of racism or situations involving perceived discrimination, harassment, and microaggressions. Failing to take reasonable and suitable actions to investigate these incidents and to put in place any necessary measures to safeguard the confidentiality, safety, and welfare of NCSS members, while also preserving the integrity of the investigation and resolution process, is considered a leadership failure. Staff, volunteers, and students are expected to fully cooperate with investigations conducted under this policy. 

 

When a racist act occurs, the individual involved will have the chance to understand the consequences of their actions on others. This understanding can be achieved through practices like restorative justice, mediation, role-playing, or other specific policies and training resources.

 

  1. Roles and Responsibilities

 

All NCSS community members have a responsibility to contribute to a safe and respectful environment, where racism, racial discrimination, harassment, and microaggressions are not tolerated. The following chart outlines the responsibilities of NCSS Leaders, Staff, Students and Parents.

 

Responsibilities

Student

& Parent

Staff

Leaders
  1. Know and understand what the Anti-Racism Policy 

YES

YES

YES
  1. Develop anti-racism skills, including understanding historical and contexts of Indigenous and racialized peoples, addressing unconscious bias, recognizing the impact of power and privilege, and how to act against all forms of racism and hate

YES

YES

YES
  1. Develop cultural competency, including understanding various racial, cultural, and religious identities and showing respect for the diverse identities and cultures within NCSS 

YES

YES

YES
  1. Be conscious of behaviors and attitudes that can present as disrespectful

YES

YES

YES
  1. Actively work to eliminate racist, hate or bias-motivated harassment on the basis of race, place of origin, ethnicity, language, ancestry, color, creed, or religion

YES

YES

YES
  1. Report incidents which involve racial abuse, insults, invalidations and/or assaults

YES

YES

YES
  1. Take complaints of discrimination, harassment, or microaggressions related to real or perceived racism seriously and respond promptly with fairness, transparency and effectively through consistent policies and procedures
  

YES

YES
  1. Regularly review data (from surveys and incident reports), policies, procedures, and equity data to proactively monitor trends, attitudes, and disparities and evaluate the effectiveness of anti-racist approaches 
  

YES

YES
  1. Educate staff, students, parents, and the community about their rights and responsibilities around racism, racial discrimination, harassment, and microaggressions
    

YES
  1. Ensure that anti-racism education in the classroom is effective
    

YES
  1. Establish a system for reporting racial incidents
    

YES
  1. Recruit and retain staff from culturally diverse and racially responsive backgrounds
    

YES
  1. Incorporating anti-racist and culturally responsive performance goals and objectives in the performance evaluations of all staff and leadership;
    

YES

 

  1. Definitions

 

  • Anti-racism: the practice of identifying, challenging, and changing the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism.
  • Racism is when people believe one race is better than others (like White people thinking they’re superior). It can show in negative attitudes and treatment toward those seen as inferior. This can range from small actions called racial microaggressions to more serious discrimination or hate. Racism exists at the personal, systemic, and societal levels in society.
  • Racial Discrimination is treating people unfairly based on their race due to prejudices and stereotypes. It can take various forms, like anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism. Racial discrimination leads to unequal opportunities, lower economic status, higher unemployment, more poverty, and overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, especially for Indigenous and Black communities. It can also involve harmful stereotypes, like thinking Jewish people are overly powerful and wealthy.
  • Individual racism is when one person judges, holds bias, or discriminates against someone because of their race. This can involve personal beliefs, both conscious and unconscious, as well as actions towards others based on those beliefs.
  • Systemic racism means that racism is embedded in institutions and society’s past and present. It involves the beliefs, actions, and policies of institutions that continue to create unfairness for communities of color. For instance, when a school has policies and practices that unintentionally lead to unequal results for people of color and benefit white people.
  • Microaggressions are small, often unintentional actions or comments that hurt or invalidate people from marginalized groups. For instance, when a teacher compliments a student of a different race for speaking English well, assuming it’s not their first language, it’s a microaggression.
  • Hate and/or Bias Motivated Occurrences refer to actions that intentionally promote bias or hatred against a group protected by the law, and these actions are communicated publicly.
  • Racial Equity means treating everyone fairly, ensuring they have equal opportunities and outcomes. It involves recognizing and addressing the specific challenges faced by different racial groups in policies and practices.

 

  1. Reference Documents