Somali Parents in Toronto: "The proposed special program wants to stigmatize our kids and say they’re incapable of learning"

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

 

 

 

Many Somali parents across Toronto are furious over a new proposal by the local school board to create what some parents are calling a "Special Ed" type of program specifically designed to target Somali kids. The program proposed by the Toronto District School Board, is making some parents nervous as it may further stigmatize one of North America's oldest Somali diaspora communities

 

“Our children are born and raised in Canada; we don’t need a special brand of education,” said Suban Abdullahi, three of whose children are at university. “We don’t need more labeling and separation; we've had enough already.”

 

“The task force wants to stigmatize all Somali kids and say they’re incapable of learning.” quipped another parent,  Saeed Mohamud.

 

 

 

Here is the full story from the Toronto Star.

 

Source: Toronto Star

 

http://www.somaliaonline.com/somali-parents-in-toronto-the-proposed-special-program-wants-to-stigmatize-our-kids-and-say-theyre-incapable-of-learning/

[Safferz]

Morons struggling over power at the expense of Somali children in Toronto. Why do Somalis do this? They are misinformed and have no real critique, yet they are hell-bent on destroying the school board's Somali task force because they're not on it. If I had known about this protest, I would have shown up just to ask them what the hell they hope to accomplish by attempting to cut down the efforts being made to curb the high dropout rate for Somali students in Toronto.

[DoctorKenney]

Totally agree Safferz. Those who are complaining about this phenomenon of young Somalis dropping out, have ZERO solutions themselves. They yell and complain but have nothing to offer at all.

 

If this all-Somali task-force in the Toronto District School Board wants to lower the dropout rate, then by all means I welcome it.

 

 

[ElPunto]

<cite>

@Safferz

said:</cite>

Morons struggling over power at the expense of Somali children in Toronto. Why do Somalis do this? They are misinformed and have no real critique, yet they are hell-bent on destroying the school board's Somali task force because they're not on it. If I had known about this protest, I would have shown up just to ask them what the hell they hope to accomplish by attempting to cut down the efforts being made to curb the high dropout rate for Somali students in Toronto.

 

Why are they morons? Power? The article didn't really explain what the taskforce's recommendations are. Are other communities with high dropout rates and issues getting a special taskforce too? After 20 years in Canada - I'm not sure that particular actions targeting the Somali community won't stigmatize them.

[Safferz]

<cite>

@ElPunto

said:</cite>

Why are they morons? Power? The article didn't really explain what the taskforce's recommendations are. Are other communities with high dropout rates and issues getting a special taskforce too? After 20 years in Canada - I'm not sure that particular actions targeting the Somali community won't stigmatize them.

 

The only group with a higher dropout rate than Somalis in Toronto are the Portuguese, and the Toronto District School Board created a Portuguese task force a year earlier that successfully assessed the needs of Portuguese students and made specific recommendations to the board. There has also been a First Nations task force. The TDSB followed that model in creating a Somali task force, made up of a diverse group of Somalis of different ages and varied career backgrounds. And how do a handful of our city's self-appointed Somali elite respond? Complete and utter butthurt rooted in the fact that they weren't the ones asked by the TDSB to lead the task force, and I suspect there is also some qabyalad at play. They offer no solutions whatsoever, and act as though Somali students aren't already marginalized in the system with their high drop out rates.

 

It is enraging. Somalis certainly have a knack for destroying things rather than building and doing anything constructive, SMDH.

[Safferz]

I'll get a hold of the finalized recommendations from the task force and post them here when I get a chance.

[DoctorKenney]

These self-appointed "Leaders" of the Somali community are trying to shut down a project which has a lot of great potential! I will never understand their logic here.

 

There are plenty of Somalis in Toronto who supported this, and this Somali Task Force consists of SOMALIS. So how does this marginalize our community? When they complain "Oh we weren't consulted when this Task Force was created".....well the TDSB did consult other Somalis, and they were completely on board here.

 

Are they mad that they themselves weren't consulted, so therefore they want to shut down this entire project which might help thousands of young Somalis?

 

Is this some huge "ego" thing and they can't stand the idea that the Government of Ontario would DARE create something for the Somali community without asking for their "permission" first?

[Khayr]

So what can these new recommendations change for these Somali kids? A world that has them growing up as the lowest social class; single mothered; stigmatized; marginalized and labelled as pirates or terrorists.

 

Remove systemic racial barriers for Somali men to get quality jobs so that they can keep their families intact and be viewed as role models instead of losers.

 

Hell, offer more grants to Somali kids so that they could be encouraged to go to school instead of worrying about next month's rent or food bill.

[LayZie G.]

 

Stop Ghettoizing Canadian Children of Somali descent

 

 

By Liibaan Moalin

 

 

Stop implementing the 'Task Force for Students of Somali Descent'

 

We are parents of Canadian children of Somali descent who find the idea of the proposed TDSB-funded 'Somali Task Force' extremely offensive and racist. We believe if such a program is implemented, an entire community that is already part of a marginalized group, will further be stigmatized and segregated from the mainstream Canadian community.

 

We believe our children are being used as guinea pigs in a social engineering experiment that will only benefit the men and women who form this so-called Task Force, and who will be funded to carry out this exercise at the expense of our children.

 

Many TDSB school trustees are backing this idea solely for their political and electoral ambitions, not our children's education. Somali Canadians want to integrate into Canada’s mainstream, not to segregate their children into ghettoized institutions where they are made to feel inferior and as victims of society.

 

The Task Force and its backers want to brand all children of Somali descent as collectively incapable of accomplishing what children from other communities aspire to reach their dreams. Members of the Task Force seem to believe that we the parents of children of Somali heritage are incapable of educating our children. We find this suggestion offensive and reflects the racism of lowered expectations that is flourishing in a climate of political correctness.

 

The vast majority of the targeted children of Somali ancestry were born and raised in Canada and should be treated as any other children born in Toronto.

 

As a result, TDSB should not be supporting an idea that would further brand a Canadian born child by their race, colour of their skin or the birthplace of their parents.

 

TDSB Superintendent Jim Spyropoulos has clearly admitted that the ‘special support’ he is advocating for will lead to ‘labelling’ of the children, yet he is a fervent advocate of setting up such a Task Force. Spyropoulos told the Toronto Star:

“s there the potential that this (special support) can lead to labelling and affect students who are already marginalized? Yes — but we hope this plan is action-oriented enough to address that issue.”

 

 

Source:http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/chris-bolton-stop-ghettoizing-canadian-children-of-somali-descent?share_id=yhSucKLlRO&utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_true

[LayZie G.]

The above author does not explain how the program will benefit the task force members, just that it will. I guess we have to take his word for it and blindly follow him to the ends of the earth.

[Safferz]

^^ Somalis only know how to destroy things.

[LayZie G.]

^I didn't know your hometown city was this messy. LoL

 

Mida kale, I know for a fact that the organizers of the recent protests have not read the draft recommendation of the Task Force.

 

Its a shame because the organizers themselves had no idea such task force existed. Their only grievance is that they are mothers and someone should have called them to inform them of school board's plan.

 

Some confessed to saying and said they were recently made aware that such a task force existed. Some of the mothers are so stubborn that they are taking legal action over draft recommendations that they have not read. LOL

 

Some, including the author of the previous article confessed that the task force is made up of non-somalis. Once the list of the members was sent to him via his inbox, he just couldn't believe it. His source is from waxa la yidhi news portal.

 

 

Cheers

[Safferz]

<cite>

@LayZie G.

said:</cite>

^I didn't know your hometown city was this messy. LoL

 

Mida kale, I know for a fact that the organizers of the recent protests have not read the draft recommendation of the Task Force.

 

Its a shame because the organizers themselves had no idea such task force existed. Their only grievance is that they are mothers and someone should have called them to inform them of school board's plan.

 

Some confessed to saying and said they were recently made aware that such a task force existed. Some of the mothers are so stubborn that they are taking legal action over draft recommendations that they have not read. LOL

 

Some, including the author of the previous article confessed that the task force is made up of non-somalis. Once the list of the members was sent to him via his inbox, he just couldn't believe it. His source is from waxa la yidhi news portal.

 

 

Cheers

 

That's our people! I'm honestly embarrassed by all of this.

[Alpha Blondy]

<cite>

@Safferz

said:</cite>

^^ Somalis only know how to destroy things.

 

haha.

 

statement of the week.

 

 

[Safferz]

LayZie, you would enjoy this. My mom decided to attend the school board meeting tonight, which had the Somali task force present their recommendations, and as a public event it is also open to members of the public to give deputations. Of course that means all the anti-task force folks showed up to say why they don't support the task force and disagree with their findings and recommendations, while others also came to give deputations in support.

 

So my mom emailed me this:

 

"Hoyo,

I went to a TDSB committee meeting that was hearing the Somali task force recommendations and deputations. What I heard today and the behaviour that the group against the recommendation exhibited made me relinquish my Somali identity. You, my child, I want you to do the same. I always thought that younger generations are far more progressive than the people of my age. Tonight I have seen young university graduates arguing that 75 percent of Somali children are doing okay therefore these recommendations are not necessary. Isn't that crazy, what about the other 25 percent? I am done with the Somali community."

 

lool they made my mom abandon her Soomaalinimo!