Odyssey for Equality in Education

Episode 17

The Odyssey recently brought me into contact with Rev. Denis Campbell, who is the family ministries director at Morningstar Christian Fellowship in Scarborough, Ontario, and a Baptist minister. We discussed the difficulties that boys, especially black boys, are experiencing in school and in the broader society. We agreed that the difficulty in getting the school system to listen to “outsiders” that have new information is not surprising in view of how hard it is to get any large organization to change. The system’s existing culture serves to prevent change.

Meanwhile, Denis is a very positive person, so he was able to point to the reality that the lack of responsiveness on the part of the education system will eventually have the effect of forcing families to reassume some of the responsibility for their sons’ welfare that they have been willing to delegate to the school. Probably, this is a good thing. Denis assured me that I was on the right track by focusing my attention on helping parents and families rather than expecting any significant changes in the school system.

The Odyssey will be heading west in July, and it includes eight speaking engagements that will undoubtedly be of interest to parents and families.

Watch for it in Winnipeg on July 10.

 Dr. James S. Brown