Black Mothering and the Ongoing Fight Against Systemic Racism in Schools
Recent incidents in Ontario schools have highlighted the persistent challenges of Black mothering and systemic anti-Black racism. Parents continue to face institutional barriers while advocating for the safety and well-being of their children against discriminatory school practices.
Highlights
- •A mother in Tottenham, Ontario, found her son's name on a 'kill list' at his school in March 2026.
- •Black mothers frequently face systemic anti-Black racism and are often denied the presumption of innocence for their children.
- •Historical cases, including the 2016 Peel police incident, illustrate a pattern of discriminatory treatment in schools.
- •Advocacy for student safety continues as parents push against policies that expand police presence in educational environments.
The experience of Black mothering in modern society often involves navigating deep-seated systemic challenges and persistent anti-Black racism. A recent incident in Tottenham, Ontario, highlights these ongoing struggles. In March 2026, a mother named Nicola discovered that her nine-year-old son’s name appeared on a student-circulated “kill list” within his classroom. Following her decision to highlight this alarming event and challenge the school's subsequent 10-day suspension of the student responsible, she reported facing significant backlash from her local community.
This incident reflects a broader pattern of anti-Black racism in schools, which research and historical data consistently underscore. Black children are frequently denied the presumption of innocence typically afforded to their white peers, with educational institutions often failing to provide adequate protection or accountability. The ongoing challenges associated with Black mothering extend beyond isolated events, reflecting systemic issues that require urgent attention and reform.
Historical Precedents and Systemic Challenges
The structural nature of these issues is often framed by the “afterlife of slavery,” a concept used to explain how historical racial frameworks continue to influence contemporary life. Scholars emphasize that for many Black mothers, the act of parenting requires a form of radical care and watchfulness. This necessity is deeply rooted in historical realities, such as the experiences of Mamie Till-Mobley in 1955 and Margaret Garner in 1856, whose lives were marked by the struggle to protect their children from pervasive racial violence.
In Canada, these struggles remain visible. In 2016, a six-year-old girl in Peel, Ontario, was subjected to police intervention, including being handcuffed, an act later ruled by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario to be a use of “racially discriminatory” force. Similarly, a 2021 incident in Waterloo involved a four-year-old child being removed from school by police. These cases demonstrate how accountability is frequently deferred, placing the emotional and administrative burden on Black mothers to advocate for their children's safety and well-being.
Despite these difficulties, many mothers draw on long-standing traditions of refusal and resilience. By persistently challenging systems that marginalize or threaten their children, they engage in a form of future-making that strives to ensure their children thrive. As policies like Bill 33 in Ontario continue to expand police presence in educational settings—an approach critics argue contradicts recommendations from reports like Dreams Delayed—the resilience of Black mothers remains a central pillar in the fight against systemic injustice. Ensuring children reach the futures they deserve requires not only vigilance but also a commitment to dismantling the structures that perpetuate such harm.
