The aim of my research was examine the impact of race, class and gender in Ottawa's educational system. I sought to find out if these factors played a role in the streaming of Black youths in basic or vocational programs and, if so, to what degree. While looking at the issue, I examined the narratives of both middle-class and working-class students and parents. / The study found that a student's socio-economic background largely determine her/his educational stream, be it basic, general or advanced. For example, all the participants in the vocational stream were working-class students while the participants that were streamed into the university bound program were from middle-class families. Teachers within the system also treated the parents differently. Middle-class parents had a greater degree of reciprocity between themselves and teachers compared to working-class parents.

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This thesis examines the educational inequalities facing Black high school students, particularly working-class youths in Ottawa's educational system. In consultation with several community organizations, educators, parents and students, several concerns were identified as barriers that impacted the educational achievement of Black youths in Ottawa's schools. They identified issues such as the continued negative stereotyping of Black students, particularly Black males as being aggressive, violent, low achievers, and lacking respect for authority, which often results in their suspensions and/or expulsion. Most importantly, they argue that in addition to the high rate of suspensions and expulsions, there also appears to be a funneling of Black working-class males into the criminal juvenile justice system, by schools, which results in the criminalization of Black youths by Ottawa schools. / This study was framed within a Black antiracist feminist framework that employed an oppositional and critical pedagogy aimed at interrogating the educational experiences of Black youths. The study examined the impact of race and class on educational outcome, and the ways in which the current educational arrangement benefits some students while disadvantaging others. Critical to the study is the denial of racism within Ottawa schools by educators and administrators. The problem is further complicated by the fact that neither the Ottawa Carleton District School Board nor the Carleton Roman Catholic Separate School Board compiles statistical database on students' race, ethnicity and/or social class, which is a necessary tool in determining the existence of educational inequality. Due to the lack of educational statistics educators have avoided accountability, thus preserving the status quo.

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