Anniversary of the 1922-23 Chinese Student School Strike

The Chinese Student School Strike was a powerful, year-long act of organized civil resistance against institutionalized racism in Victoria. In September 1922, the Victoria School Board attempted to expand its existing segregation policy, ordering all Chinese Canadian students up to Grade 7 to be removed from public schools and placed into Chinese-only schools. On the first day of the new term, when principals marched the children to the segregated site, the students, acting on a plan organized by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) and other community groups, dispersed and went home instead of entering the segregated facility. This remarkable, coordinated boycott of over 200 students successfully halted the expansion of segregation for a year, forcing the community to establish a temporary Chinese Free School to ensure the children’s education continued. This pivotal moment demonstrated the unwavering resolve of the Chinese community to fight for equal rights and educational opportunity, laying a foundation for future battles against anti-Asian discrimination in Canada.