Here we are again at the beginning of Black History Month and in this so-called great city of New York, Black History is still not a mandated part of the curriculum of the New York City Department of Education.

We must now seize the time to make this demand on behalf of our children. In Toronto, Canada, the school board is discussing a proposal calling for the creation of three African-centered schools or programs to address the achievement gap.

According to Toronto community leaders, the current curriculum is failing the “city’s Black youth population.” This proposal, which has gained broad-based support from school trustees, calls for the opening of these schools in the fall of 2008.

“A Black-focused school works with the principles of social responsibility, mutual interdependence and accountability. Classroom teaching learning in the student’s own culture, history, personal location and spiritual identity. A Black-focused school treats education as an expression of shared community responsibility,” said Toronto school leaders. This has been a hot topic of discussion among Toronto school trustees and the community at large for the past month.

There is no such discussion in New York City regarding such a proposal. We are far behind other large urban centers, like New Jersey, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Chicago and Portland, which have adopted various forms of African-centered learning in their school system. Canada recognizes the fundamental human right to a non-racist and culturally relevant education for Black youth. As we embark upon the 200-year commemoration of the ending of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, we must make this demand for Black History in our schools.

I attended a press conference regarding the racist remarks written in the elevator of the New York Surrogate Court aimed at Judge Diana Johnson, who was recently elected as the first Black Surrogate Judge in the history of New York State. I listened attentively as speaker after speaker talked about how they would not tolerate this anymore. It was actually hypocritical to hear [City Council Speaker] Christine Quinn boast of the Hate Crimes Bill of the City Council. The Hate Crime Bill did not stop the racist “handwriting on the wall” of the elevator, which means New York City has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. New York City is truly lacking in addressing the issue of racism. It is not enough to react to hate crimes when we don’t even acknowledge slavery as one of the greatest hate crimes ever committed against humanity.

We, too, as people of African ancestry are hypocritical when we engage in boastful dialogue that supports only Band-Aid remedies to a very serious problem. Systemic racism must be addressed as a serious issue by every level of government and all of its appendages including the public schools, the judicial system and particularly law enforcement. Our failure to develop public policy that addresses institutional racism will continue to encourage hate crimes.

I am calling for an all-out campaign this month for Black History in schools. We must obtain commitment to make Black History a mandated part of our school curriculum. We cannot afford to wait beyond this month to get that commitment. It is important that we speak as one voice and that we don’t get sidetracked into compromised positions that will not equip our children with their true history. It is time we stop talking of empowerment and exercise it. If we stand as one on this issue, then we will be victorious.

We must approach our campaign for Black History in schools as part of the campaign for change that is currently sweeping the American conscience. Only when we shift our consciousness will we experience real change.