Right now, across Canada, there are questions around the names of places, institutions and even streets. The debate about whether or not we should rename something that honours problematic and sometimes racist historical figures is a question all sorts of organizations, from governments to companies to school boards are wrestling with.
But more interesting questions come afterward. So you’ve decided to change a name: To what? Who gets a say? How exactly do you go about correcting the historical record? And, do you wipe all references to the former person clean, or acknowledge the former name?
Dr. Vidya Shah, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at York University, joined The Big Story podcast to examine renaming schools.
“The naming of the school represents what we as a society choose to memorialize – what we choose to put on a pedestal. It’s a direct reflection of the priorities and interests of those in power”
Dr. Vidya Shah
Listen now at The Big Story.