Since 2018, we have been offering a mandatory equity and social justice leadership course for principals and future principals. The objective, for our students, is to develop knowledge and skills enabling them to reduce educational inequalities between students, particularly in disadvantaged and multi-ethnic schools.
During the work to be carried out during the session, the principals must choose a type of school inequality observed in their schools, read scientific articles on the subject and, finally, create a school project to be implemented to reduce injustice. By way of example, some choose to work on the inequalities experienced by recent immigrant students who do not speak French or refugee students, others on the inclusion of LGBTQ+ students or on the deconstruction of prejudices and false beliefs students and parents from disadvantaged backgrounds.
However, many choose each year to focus on the three-tier school system, made up of selective programs offered in the public network, private schools and traditional programs offered to the public. What is their surprise to note that researchers have already been documenting for many years the harmful effect of this school structure which contributes to increasing inequalities and the gap between students in traditional courses and students with access to programs selective or private schools.
They find that the probabilities of going to university are higher for students who attended public-selective programs or private schools compared to those who attended traditional programs. The directors are surprised to learn that promoting social diversity between students helps to reduce the gaps and inequalities between them. Some realize that several students newly arrived in 5e or 6e year cannot access selective programs in secondary school because they did not have a report card at the start of their course, as they first attended reception classes.
When they have to create a project to implement in their schools to try to lessen these dynamics of the school system and the segregation of students, they tell us that they feel relatively limited in their capacity for action because of the lack of support of the Ministry and the school service centers on this issue and because of parentocracy, namely the increased demands of parents in school that their child be able to attend a selective program with “peers of the same level”.
Despite political inaction, directors are developing audacious projects to undermine the school market within their school, for example by desegregating class groups. But they know very well that this is not enough! Before the Let’s Talk Education forums begin shortly, we believe it is important that this issue be addressed, mediated and politicized and that a general assembly on education be held in the near future.
It is our duty, collectively, to propose structural changes that will enable management to fully exercise their leadership for equity and social justice.