SPFS AR committee.png

The South Park PAC is committed to being an actively anti-racist parent community.

It is our objective to ensure that all elements of South Park Family School are actively anti-racist.

The South Park Family School PAC recognizes that systemic racism affects all levels of society, including our school. We take a proactive role in making a more equitable and just world.

Resources

"There will be times when the lunch your mother packed for you is too strange or too unfamiliar for others to love as you do.When even your own friend Nadja will wrinkle her nose and say What’s in there, anyway? And you’ll wonder how she doesn’t see the rice beneath the meat and kimchi.You’ll wonder why she doesn’t remember that rice is the most popular food in the world." - An excerpt from Jacqueline Woodson's picture book "The Day You Begin"

As we are all preparing for the start of school and planning for what to pack the kids for lunch, it is a great opportunity to open the conversation about race, culture, and diversity through food. So many kids are eating wonderful food from all over the world but do they know the origin of the food and how they are a special part of people's culture/heritage/family history? How do we move away from culturally appropriated foods and back to honouring their deep rooted meanings? Identifying different foods that will accompany classmates in their lunchbox with a lens of curiosity and respect will open up a world of possibilities and perhaps even some interest in trying something new.

Here are some resources to help you understand and address "Lunchbox Racism":

Books to read with kids:

Celebrating Hallowe’en

October means a time to celebrate the changing seasons, and to give gratitude for our friends, family and for Mother Earth and all that she provides for us.

The most exciting part for our children, though, is likely the anticipation of Hallowe’en at the end of the month! 

When you are putting together your family’s Hallowe’en costumes, if you have any doubts or questions like “Is it racist if my kid wears….? ”, or “Pocahontas is a Disney character, what’s the big deal?” then just don’t do it. 

“Dressing up as a cultural group diminishes that group to a caricature. And for youth (Indigenous and non-Indigenous), that can plant a seed that grows into something far worse down the road..” - David Robertson, acclaimed Indigenous author of “When We Were Alone” and many other books. 

There are many ways you can appreciate and explore a culture different from your own without appropriating it for your own interest. 

Here are a couple of articles that can provide some more insight: