Educational Issues and Inequalities: Experiences of Indigenous Canadian Students

Educational achievement gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples exist as a critical issue and a policy challenge in most countries. This chapter examines contemporary schooling issues and inequalities experienced by Canadian Indigenous students in order to further understand the challenges that impact their schooling experiences.

This chapter draws on interviews with 50 participants (26 educators and 24 parents) within four southern Ontario school boards. Of those interviewees, 20 teachers and 20 parents identify as Indigenous (mainly Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Métis). Four non-Indigenous parent interviewees have children with Indigenous ancestry and six non-Indigenous teachers have Indigenous education as an area of specialization.

Findings suggest that Indigenous students encounter schooling challenges associated with: racial discrimination, feelings of not fitting in, and desires to blend in with the majority student population, as well as inequalities in Indigenous-focused programs and initiatives.

Given the historical context of discrimination against Indigenous Canadians in schooling, Indigenous students are challenged with distinct barriers that shape educational experiences as they advance in their academic careers. Interviewees described how embedding content based on Indigenous cultures, perspectives, and histories into public schools can not only counter negative experiences for Indigenous students, but also facilitate respect for cultural diversity among non-Indigenous students, and serves as a mechanism to combat racism and prejudice in the school community.