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511 E. Victoria Avenue, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7C 1A8

Tel: (807) 622-4666 Fax: (807) 622-7271

20101 LAKEHEAD PUBLIC SCHOOLS YEDE CONFERENCE (Youth Embracing Diversity in Education - YEDE)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 Airlane Travelodge Hotel

The Regional Multicultural Youth Council facilitated a workshop on Racism and Bullying at the Lakehead Public Schools Youth Embracing Diversity in Education Conference at the Airlane Travelodge Hotel. A total of 61 students completed the questionnaires handed out during the session. However, some participants did not answer all the questions. Do you feel any of the following can help to reduce discrimination among students? YES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Presentations in class about discrimination? Diversity and Multicultural Days at school Encouraging students to mix in the classroom School uniforms Hiring teachers and staff from different races Displaying Posters against discrimination Guest speakers from different backgrounds Assemblies, drama, music, skits on diversity Teaching courses about diversity Lessons on Aboriginal people and pow wows Suspending students who discriminate others Asking students who discriminate to do assignments on Diversity 49 50 40 10 48 39 54 55 48 42 25 41

NO
9 5 14 46 6 20 3 13 9 16 32 14

DISCRIMINATION IN SCHOOLS
1. What kind of discrimination have you seen at school?
Racial Racial jokes Culture Fights Appearance Bullying / physical bullying Homophobia Sexual Gender Religion Money Class Intelligence against native students Clothes Verbal Gossip Cyber bullying Weakness

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What is being done to deal with discrimination at school that is working?

Presentations Pink Day Not much Natural Helpers Nothing Sometimes detention works against discrimination I dont see anything in my school Suspension Some assemblies and stuff Student groups I dont know Posters Events Discipline Websites People being punished Multicultural days and events Guest speakers People being punished Pow wows More information about bullying / discrimination

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What is not working?

Nothing / Not much is working Ignorance Everything Just yelling at the student Confronting the students The bullies keep bullying kids each day All of it Believing there is NO discrimination and doing nothing about it Some forms of punishment dont work Getting a talking to with no consequences Just talking about discrimination Getting detention Punishing people for it, that will just anger them so they lash out even more Just telling people to stop doesnt work, because when the teacher or authority figure is not there, they just do it again People not listening and thinking it is cool to be a bully Not being serious about it There is not much action taken They give presentations, but they do nothing afterwards Teachers yelling at students who discriminated Working with kids to end it . Large assemblies that students make fun of and do not want to attend

4. What more can be done to stop discrimination in schools?

Presentations Teach children when they are younger Policies and enforce them Get kids more involved / involve more students More information about discrimination, bullying, etc Teachers need not to be tolerant to discrimination and bullying More Natural Helpers / peer mediation / empathy Keep trying More guest speakers Teach respect Promote similarities

5.

What should students do to reduce discrimination at school?

No jokes Spread awareness Anything Go to workshops Listen to how others feel Stand up for Accept people for who they are Have more groups for students Not hang out with those people who discriminate Tell them that some jokes can be hurtful More awareness programs Stand up for people who are being discriminated

-3 Interact with more students Students should definitely report any discrimination that they see, and they should think about how they would feel if it were them We should be careful about what we say and be respectful Stop stereotypes and prejudicial statements

6.

What should teachers and staff do?

Talk and teach about different races Realize whats going on around them Punish those who discriminate Detentions Stop physical bullying when you see it Do they actually care? Teachers and staff should always be on the lookout and take action Help student groups to speak about it Keep eyes on the bullies and tell the parents Essays Identify and discipline students who discriminate against others Support students Keep an eye out for discrimination If they catch someone doing or saying something bad, send them to the office Workshops Look out more when it comes to racism or discrimination Try to see the signs of discrimination Encourage students to mix Stop it at once if they see it to discourage it Be more aware More consequences

7.

What should the school board do? Set up more workshops for students / Workshops on equality
Keep working with the students like organizing these conferences Things like YEDE Make presentations that can help students to learn about racism Continue providing information Promote presentations and support schools to do the presentations Same thing they are doing now, this conference Should hire special people to deal with these issues Have more conferences like this open to more students Do more presentations to tell kids how it is wrong Hold multicultural days and presentations Support the teachers Raise more awareness Create more programs concerning culture, race and religion Set up more workshops that more people can go to Put more races in the classes Teach it

Include it in the curriculum