Content Warning: Mentions of anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and police brutality.
The current civil rights movement against police brutality has been transformative. After George Floyd’s murder, record numbers of people protested around the world, calling for justice and equality. Petitions to defund the police circulated across social media, demanding reformation and alteration of the current judicial systems. The movement reignited after the shooting of Jacob Blake, causing officials from other industries to question the ongoing brutality exhibited by the police.
NBA teams and players have joined in the protest: playoff matches were postponed as the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers made their own statements. Other sport leagues also supported the movement, such as the WNBA, MLB, NFL, and the MLS.
The sports boycotts coupled with ongoing events inspired a professor from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Anthea Butler, to start a similar movement within academia. The initiative commenced with one tweet and overwhelming passion. Canadian scholars have also joined this movement, now known as the “Scholar Strike.” Organized by Dr. Beverly Bain of UofT and Professor Min Sok Lee of OCAD University, speakers hope to educate students and other attendees on different forms of police brutality and colonialism.
The Canadian event took place near Labour Day, on September 9 and 10 with an introductory session hosted by the organizers and journalist, Desmond Cole. As a response to institutional racism, faculty members who participated in the event chose to pause teachings and administrative duties. Digital teach-ins from historical and contemporary perspectives were organized in order to educate attendees on the effects of marginalization. Moreover, attendees were encouraged to amplify the message on social media and participate in campaigns.
Overview of the Sessions
The “Scholar Strike” event consisted of six sessions on September 9 and seven sessions on September 10. The teach-ins were approximately 90 minutes on average, with some ranging from 30 minutes to four hours. UofT scholars were speakers for around 50% of the sessions in total on both days. The four sessions listed below are the ones with UofT participants.
Abolition or Death: Confronting Police Forces in Canada
“Why do we need to have armed people? When we go out into the streets and say ‘enough killing,’ and we are confronted by the same killers…again?” – Desmond Cole
In this session, Professor Beverly Bain, journalist Desmond Cole, and Professor Min Sook Lee introduced the Scholar Strike event to the attendees. Bain initiated the session with a Land Acknowledgement Statement and discussed the intensified anti-Black attacks across the world. After, Desmond Cole spoke about violence against racialized communities and the routine malpractice among police officers towards women and LGBTQ groups. This teach-in summarized the flaws of police reformation and the judicial punishment system, with Cole arguing that these methods should not be perceived as an assurance of safety. Rather, these systems perpetuate inequality and discrimination—such as the immigration status and the child welfare system—due to colonial practices.
Solemn Promises on Stolen Land: Policing and Treaty-Breaking on 1492 Land Back Lane
“The criminality is understood within a black letter interpretation of the law, ignoring the very language that they used to characterize the relationship, which is the language of inherit recognition.” – Dale Turner
This session included four speakers who are/were a part of the UofT community: Elder Eileen Antone, Kevin White, Dale Turner, and Susan Hill. Courtney Skye, a Research Fellow at Yellowhead Institute who was arrested on September 3, gave a presentation about the history and media coverage of 1492 Land Back Lane. The other speakers, including Dale Turner, talked about how the arrests at 1492 Land Back Lane go against the definition of human rights and restrain Indigenous voices. At the end, Dr. Susan Hill acknowledged the people who are part of Land Back Lane and encouraged others to advocate for peace.
Migrant Workers in Canada: Unfree Labour on Stolen Land
“Hell…yo, no we aren’t going anywhere—we are going to demand our spaces in the academy, and outside of the academy as well.” -Chris Ramsaroop
Chris Ramsaroop, a PhD Candidate at OISE, talked about the migrant workers program in Canada. Throughout the session, Ramsaroop argued that the pandemic exacerbates dangerous conditions for workers, along with them being perceived as transmitters of the virus. For example, he shone light on the treatment of migrant workers by public health officials, stating that the workers are under “constant quarantine.” The myth of “essential workers” and the structural discrimination in employment are key components of this session as public health officials state that they will “protect” migrant workers but refuse to follow through with it.
Race to Incarcerate in the University
“The university is….an extension of the state and its processes” -Beverly Bain.
The speakers of this session were Beverly Bain and Rosalind Hampton, both of whom are part of the UofT community. Bain discussed how the University is not taking enough initiative to address the issues related to mental health on campus. She also stated that people of colour in university faculties are more at risk for mental health struggles as police brutality has escalated. Moreover, the role of the institution’s administration on campus police and criminalization of students was analyzed by the speakers. Throughout the lecture, Bain references a situation around two years ago, when campus police handcuffed a student in distress.
What the University has done
The Faculty of Music, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, the Women and Gender Studies Institute, and the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies have mentioned the event on their respective “Announcements” pages.The Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering further stated that drop-in hours, hosted by the Action Group, were available throughout both days of the event. Additionally, the Faculty of Music launched Workgroup on Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (AREDI) has put out a call-to-action for faculty members and students. Furthermore, the Dean of Aerospace Studies issued a statement on behalf of the UofT Engineering department and notified that the University is actively working to eradicate anti-Black racism. Although classes were not cancelled, students and faculty were encouraged to engage with resources addressing racism and Black inclusivity.
The Scholar Strike event can be perceived as a historical landmark for professors and students alike. As a result of the Black Lives Matter movement, members of different institutions across Canada are coming together to learn about police brutality, segregation, and oppression among racial groups. Unfortunately, these situations, continue to occur across university campuses, and UofT is no exception. However, with the increase of racial and cultural inclusivity events, academia has the potential to change in the future. We must hope that every institution finally takes this advice and listens.
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