We condemn the recent, senseless violence leading to the deaths of Black individuals in the United States and Canada. We grieve the loss of George Floyd, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Ahmaud Arbery and many additional Black lives. Anti-Black racism is pervasive in Canadian society, including in its universities and law schools. We acknowledge that there has been a history of Anti-Black racism at Windsor Law.
Windsor Law confirms its commitment to combatting Anti-Black racism. Anti-Black racism is a systemic problem for which we all bear responsibility to redress. We are committed to ensuring that Black students may safely voice their experiences when they choose to do so. Following Anti-Black racist incidents at the law school earlier this year, Windsor Law is, among other things, establishing an Anti-Black Racism Committee and implementing further training for faculty and staff.
We are also currently implementing stronger measures for teaching about Anti-Black Racism in orientation and in our curriculum. We support and encourage our faculty members, staff, and students as they find ways to speak out against Anti-Black racism and all forms of oppression across curricular and extracurricular spaces at the law school. Finally, we welcome opportunities for ongoing dialogue about how to improve our approaches to fighting Anti-Black racism and to redesigning society, with institutions and structures grounded in equality.
Sincerely,
– Christopher Waters, Dean
– Gemma Smyth, Associate Dean (Academic)
– Laverne Jacobs, Associate Dean (Research & Graduate Studies)
Open the Statement from the Council of Canadian Law Deans on anti-Black Racism