Privatization and the Exacerbation of Educational Inequality in Canada

Abstract

Currently, over one-third of Canadian families have opted to enroll their children in private education. This shift is concerning as school choice has the potential to create homogenous student populations by segregating children of differing socioeconomic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Selective public schools also have the potential to become exclusive spaces for students among the social elite to obtain cultural capital that other students have no access to. In fact, the emergence of a more competitive and selective public schooling system has already created a new hierarchy of elite students in Canada. In the following position paper, I explore how the promotion of school choice and the rise of privatization have exacerbated educational inequalities in Canada. I also address how the rise in privatization has led to the weakening of Canada’s public education systems and the creation of homogenous school systems. Thus, it is imperative for educational researchers and policymakers to not only recognize how the rise of privatization and school choice has changed the landscape of Canada’s education systems, but also address the equity and quality concerns that have arisen as well.