Racial discrimination is terrible. Unfortunately, in 2022, racial discrimination still exists in many places around the world. Although racial discrimination in Canada is relatively rare, it is difficult to avoid entirely. In Saskatchewan, racial discrimination poses a great threat to black and First Nations children.
The attitude and measures that the police take towards black children have put their personal safety and health at a risk. Police treat black teenagers as criminals, not as children: “Police arrested a 13-year-old Black boy in Baton Rouge, La. The officer restrained the teen by locking his arm around the child’s neck. He relaxed the hold only after a bystander called out, ‘You’re choking him!’” (Kowalski, 2021).
Additionally, the attitude of the police towards First Nations women can also affect children: “Human Rights Watch documented Indigenous women’s accounts of police neglect when they reported domestic violence, as well as inappropriate and invasive body and strip searches, sexual harassment, and physical assault” (Human Rights Watch, 2017).
Living in such a place full of discrimination has a great impact on children, significantly impacting their mental health. According to a study, black youth who were interviewed about this situation stated that they “felt hopeless, fearful or unable to just be kids” (Kowalski, 2021). Some even go so far as to consider suicide.
Measures should be taken to mitigate this issue. Community members can organize demonstrations and activities against racial discrimination to prevent the spread of racism and educate more citizens on its impacts. In addition, all primary schools in Saskatchwen should teach racial discrimination through not only textbooks but personal accounts, so children become more aware of the issue at an early age. I sincerely hope that racial discrimination in Saskatchewan will decrease in the future so that children can have a safe, healthy environment to grow up in.
Work Cited
Kowalski, Kathiann. “Discriminatory Policing Takes a Toll on Teens and Tweens.” Science News for Students, 23 Nov. 2021, https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/discriminatory-policing-takes-a-toll-on-teens-and-tweens.
“Canada: Police Fail Indigenous Women in Saskatchewan.” Human Rights Watch, 28 Oct. 2020, https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/06/19/canada-police-fail-indigenous-women-saskatchewan.
Author: Xinyu (James) Xue
Biography: James Xue is a Grade 10 student from Luther College High School in Regina, Saskatchewan. He loves to play baseball, watch soccer matches, and fish in his free time. Although James is a new member of Adopt Our Community, he is delighted to learn and participate in volunteer work.
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