Hundreds of parents and students from across the province of Ontario marched through the streets of Toronto on Monday afternoon to demand an end to systemic anti-Black racism in schools

Organized by Parents of Black Children and the Vaughan African Canadian Association, the  march began at Nathan Phillips Square at 2 p.m.

Charlene Grant,, a member of the steering committee of Parents for Black Children,  said recent announcements by Education Minister Stephen Lecce about ending streaming in Grade nine and halting suspensions for K-Grade three, students, as a solution to persistent and endemic anti-Black racism in Ontario schools, do not go far enough.

Grant, a former candidate for trustee for the York Region District School Board,  said that “for generations Black communities have fought for equitable outcomes for our children in the education system.

“We will no longer be satisfied with half measures and platitude. We are no longer accepting crumbs disguised as progress.:

Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) President Sam Hammond said he was at the protest to represent the union’s 83,000 members and be an ally with Black families and Black students in Ontario.

“We need to get the attention of the current Minister of Education to make change so that it is much more inclusive and to get rid of racism, anti-Black racism in our education system, no matter what we have to do,”Hammond said.

Carrying signs and chanting ” no justice. no peace.” “Black youth. matter,” and ” racist teachers got to go,” the demonstrators marched along University Avenue and made their way to Queen’s Park.