After a forty year career in education, during which he has held virtually every position possible in the profession, Dr. James S. Brown is currently undertaking a new project aimed at raising public awareness about the issue of gender equality, especially as it applies in education. He has begun a multi-country tour, speaking with educational and community leaders about the problem of the increasing degree to which boys are underachieving in and disengaged by school, and the long-term consequences of our society’s apparent lack of interest in issues which impact disproportionately on boys.

The tour, which he is calling his Odyssey for Equality, includes stops in the UK, in a number of states in the USA, and in most of the Canadian provinces. The major theme is the problem of the underachievement of boys in school, its causes, consequences and solutions. Dr. Brown has already addressed groups in Florida in the USA, in Norwich and London in the UK, and in various locations in southern Ontario. He has an extensive schedule of meetings and presentations in Ontario in May and June, and in the western provinces in July and August. Please check the schedule and watch for the tour as it arrives in a location near you this summer.

The Canadian Centre for Men and Families is a proud sponsor of the “Odyssey for Equality” currently being undertaken by our Advisory Fellow Dr. James Brown. In ongoing instalments on these CCMF blogs, James will update us on his travels, as he raises awareness of the educational issues facing boys in Canada. Here is his schedule and below is his first report:

Schedule

July

ONTARIO

July 3 – North Bay
July 4 – Sault Ste Marie
July 5 – Marathon
July 6 – Thunder Bay
July 7 – Ignace
July 8 – Kenora

MANITOBA

July 9 – 10 – Winnipeg

July 10, 7:00 pm
Meeting Room 1
Sir William Stephenson Branch, Winnipeg Public Library
765 Keewatin Street
Winnipeg

SASKATCHEWAN

July 11 – Moosomin
July 12 – 14 – Regina

Sat July 13 Regina 10:30 am
Large Meeting Room 1
William Bothwell Branch, Regina Public Library
Southland Mall, 2965 Gordon Rd
Regina

ALBERTA

July 15 – 19 – Medicine Hat

July 20 Lethbridge 10:30 am
Friends Meeting Room 1
Crossings Branch, Lethbridge Public Library
255 Britannia Blvd West
Lethbridge

July 21 – Strathmore
July 22 -23 – Calgary

July 23 Calgary 6:30 pm
Meeting Room 1
Memorial Park Branch, Calgary Public Library,
1221- 2nd Street SW
Calgary

July 24 – 25 – Banff
Fri    26 – Red Deer
Sat    27 – Drayton Valley

July 27 Red Deer 10:30 am
Snell Auditorium
Main Branch, Red Deer Public Library
4818 – 49th Street
Red Deer

July   28 – 30 Edmonton

July 29 Edmonton 7:00 pm
Edmonton Room
Stan Milner Branch
Edmonton Public Library
7 Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton

July 31 – Lloydminster

July 31 Lloydminster 7:00 pm Meeting Room 1
Main Branch,
Lloydminster Public Library
Lower Level, Atrium Centre
5010 – 49th Street
Lloydminster

August

SASKATOON

August 1 – 2 – Saskatoon

Aug 1 Saskatoon 7:00 pm
Auditorium
Frances Morrison Branch, Saskatoon Public Library
311 – 23rd Street East
Saskatoon

July 3 – Yorkton/Regina
July 4 – Regina

MANITOBA

July 5 – Winnipeg

ONTARIO

July 6 – Ignace
July 7 – Thunder Bay
July 8 – Marathon
July 9 – Sault Ste Marie
July 10 – Sudbury
July 11 – Brechin

My Odyssey for Equality in Education

My Odyssey is underway! For the past two months (March – April), and continuing for the next four months (May – August), I have been and will be meeting with educational and community leaders in an effort to raise awareness about the increasing degree to which some children, most often boys, are underachieving in our schools. While school systems are making efforts to deal with the inequality that this represents, there appears to be little appetite for information from any groups outside of the system. The approach that is being used appears to be “more of the same.” Meanwhile, many other options are available. The Odyssey will encourage leaders in many fields related to children to share information and ideas.

As my travels unfold, I will provide regular reports so that those that are interested can share in my adventure with me.

Inequality starts early; fortunately, equality also starts early. Be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.