Family demands answers after students taught Indigenous history using 'inappropriate' terms

An Indigenous parent says he wants an apology from a London, Ont. school board after material that referred to Indigenous peoples as "Aboriginals" and "savages" was given to students in his daughter's Grade 11 history class.  

Clint Couchie said his daughter, 15, who goes to Saint André Bessette Catholic Secondary School was shaken up when she saw the resource during a lesson about minority groups in the First World War on Tuesday.

"It's super concerning, not only for us to hear those words reiterated again in 2023, but the fact that it's happening in an education setting with all of her peers," said Couchie, who is from the Nipissing First Nation in northern Ontario. 

"People are being re-exposed to misinformation in outdated and inappropriate terms, so what happens now if that term starts being thrown around in the classroom or on the street."

Couchie said he immediately contacted administration, and although a guidance counselor spoke to his daughter to make sure she's was alright, he hasn't received any further acknowledgement from the board about the error yet.

CBC News has reviewed the document presented to the class. It's a 2014 paper written by author Jason Penny.

"During a history lesson on World War I, a resource was shared with students about the involvement of minority groups, which contained an outdated term used to describe Indigenous peoples," wrote London District Catholic School Board spokesperson Mark Adkinson in an email.

"The teacher, students and their families will be provided with necessary guidance, information and appropriate supports," Adkinson said. 

On its website, LDCSB has outlined its mandates to improve Indigenous student achievement. A specific reference is made to Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) Calls to Action 62 and 63, focused on implementing curriculum using Indigenous voices, and to create culturally safe spaces and culturally relevant material. 

As the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaches on Sept. 30, Couchie believes LDCSB needs to do more on following their mandate on TRC calls and take concrete steps to ensure the incident doesn't repeat. 

"If the board is saying they're down a path of reconciliation, I've yet to see that happen if information like this is still getting into the classroom," said Couchie, adding the document was taken back by the teacher but has left his daughter feeling hesitant to go back to class.

Robyn Michaud, an Indigenous Studies professor at Conestoga College immediately recognized the document from Teachers Pay Teachers, a resource website where teachers can buy lesson plans from other teachers. 

Despite the website's popularity among teachers, it's known to have problematic social studies content because it's not audited and teachers can't preview lessons until they buy them, said Michaud who does cultural presentations with LDCSB. 

"People don't understand how certain terms and phrases can be problematic," she said. "As soon as an Indigenous student reads the word 'savage' they shut down because it's so offensive and inappropriate. We don't need materials that use language like that."