If I understand this correctly, in Canadian public schools, 11th grade English was traditionally when students tackled the heavyweight champions of English literature such as Shakespeare and Dickens. But on February 1, 2023, the Toronto school board voted 18 to 3 to dump the Bard et al. for a mandatory year of First Nations’ literature. Here’s an article about this move written the day before the vote:

Trustees looking at replacing Grade 11 English course which typically focuses on literary classics with one amplifying Indigenous voices.

By Isabel Teotonio Education Reporter

Toronto Star
Wed., Feb. 1, 2023

All high school students know who Shakespeare is— but not Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Richard Wagamese or Tanya Talaga. That could change.

Toronto’s public school board is considering replacing its compulsory Grade 11 English course, which typically focuses on William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and other literary classics, with one that is centred on the works of Indigenous writers in Canada.

Trustees with the Toronto District School Board will vote on the matter at a Wednesday night board meeting. If it passes,

It did, 18-3.

the new mandatory course would be gradually implemented so that it can be rolled out across all high schools and teachers have time to undergo training. While one trustee praised the shift in focus away from Eurocentric content, concerns were raised that the proposed changes would push the classics to the sidelines and put traditional English education in second place.

But Isaiah Shafqat, the Indigenous student trustee who’s been the driving force behind the proposal, stressed the importance of revamping the course content.

In other words, he’s a kid who is leading the Toronto school board around by the nose.. He looks like he might actually be part First Nations. (I wonder how many of the Indigenous authors on the reading list will turn out to be all-white following scandals?)

“Education is the starting point for a lot of critical and transformative change,” said the Grade 12 student, who attends Kâpapâmahchakwêw—Wandering Spirit School.

Before copy & paste, would the press have put up with impossible to spell words such as “Kâpapâmahchakwêw”?

“When we educate students on the lived realities and experiences of Indigenous Peoples is when we as a society can become more aware of the injustices that have taken place, and continue to take place, and that leads towards reconciliation and truth,” he told the Star.

In the U.S., nobody cares about the Indigenous (unless they are opposing a pipeline or something having to do with climate change). But Canada, having outlawed slavery a long time ago, is stuck with Indians as their token oppressed pets instead of blacks, who are, for all their annoyances, much more entertaining.

Shafqat said the proposed course “represents the world we live in today,” rather than one involving the study of texts that are hundreds of years old “and have no relevance in today’s society.”

“Relevance” was a big deal in New Left campus protests in 1969.

Grade 11 English students often find themselves studying books like George Orwell’s “1984,” Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” and “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens.

Obvious garbage. What relevance does an Englishman’s play about Scotland have to historic Canada? Are there any Scots in Canada? If there are, they’d better keep their heads down. And what possible relevance could a 1948 science fiction novel about a left-wing totalitarian society have to Canada in 2023? And what possible relevance could the greatest Victorian novelist’s greatest novel have to 2023 Toronto? It would just make Brahmins feel bad about their ancestors’ lack of accomplishment, and we can’t have that.

…. The TDSB currently offers this course in 29 schools, and this year about 1,775 students have signed up. In total, it has 110 high schools and 72,000 secondary students.

A proposed Grade 11 English course centred on the works of Indigenous authors could include the likes of “Indian Horse” by Richard Wagamese, left, “Seven Fallen Feathers” by Tanya Talaga, and “Noopiming” by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.

I’ve never heard of them, but I can tell just from the surnames or middle names of the authors that these books must be better than 1984, Macbeth, and Great Expectations.

… Trustee James Li of Ward 13 (Don Valley North) voted against the motion in committee; trustees Dennis Hastings of Ward 1 (Etobicoke North) and Weidong Pei of Ward 12 (Willowdale) were also opposed. Li asked why the current compulsory Grade 11 English course isn’t modified to include Indigenous content, and if moving ahead with the proposed change would give Indigenous voices more prominence over others in English courses.

While Li supports compulsory Indigenous education, he said he’s not yet convinced this is the best way forward and worries this change puts traditional English language education “in second place.” He called on staff to provide more details.

If Mr. Li’s kid wants a Rhodes Scholarship, is Oxford going to be more impressed with his child’s knowledge of Shakespeare or of Betasamosake Simpson?

Student trustee Naomi Musa, who attends Central Toronto Academy and has already taken the regular compulsory Grade 11 English course (ENG3), called it “Eurocentric and not reflective of different intersectionalities,” noting “the purpose of this motion is to combat that.”

Similarly, trustee Neethan Shan of Ward 17 (Scarborough Centre) said “education can be the greatest equalizer” but it can also do the reverse and “be one of the processes in which we can keep reinforcing the inequities in our society.”

He noted that current English classes are dominated by Eurocentric content, with certain communities viewed more favourably than others, calling it “heavily problematic” because it can make students feel “less” and “inadequate.”

After Macbeth, what forgiveness?

[Comment at Unz.com]