Schooling the System: A History of Black Women Teachers

"This groundbreaking book – the first of its kind – studies educators' narratives within a complex history of segregated and separate schools, teacher shortages, and a growing immigrant student population. Well researched, absorbing, and timely, Schooling the System is a reminder that black women specialize in the wholly impossible." Karen Flynn, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and author of Moving Beyond Borders: A History of Black Canadian and Caribbean Women in the Diaspora

"With this engaging study, Funké Aladejebi fills important gaps and silences in Canadian black women's herstories and in the documentation of their transformative pedagogical work despite systemic barriers. Schooling the System is a critical text for understanding Canadian education and Canadian society – and a fascinating read!" Annette Henry, University of British Columbia and author of Taking Back Control: African Canadian Women Teacher's Lives and Practice

"This meticulously researched book tells the stories of black women educators who were called upon for their labour as cultural mediators in schools that defined themselves as multicultural but who confronted enforced invisibility by systems that remained rooted in white supremacy. These are the histories we must know if we are to work towards antiracist education in Canada." Kristina R. Llewellyn, University of Waterloo and author of Democracy's Angels: The Work of Women Teachers

“Schooling the System is a beautiful détente between scholarship and storytelling. Why didn’t we know this part of Canada’s education history? We were waiting for the genius of Funké Aladejebi to tap the rich treasure troves of Black Canada’s education historical collections, share the lived experiences of the twenty-six women who entrusted her with their stories, and connect the dots for us. Well done, Aladejebi.” Canadian Journal of History