An Africentric elementary school opened in Sept. 2009. (CBC)

The Toronto District School Board is set to decide whether to start an Africentric high school in the city.

The idea caused some controversy earlier this year when the board wanted to make the Africentric school part of Oakwood Collegiate.

That suggestion was met with resistance from some in the west-end community.

Maria Rodrigues, the local school trustee, says in retrospect the push back was to be expected.

"I think what happened at Oakwood was that there was a process we didn't follow. We should have consulted as a board with the community before," she said.

Toronto already has an Africentric elementary school which opened in 2009.

Josette Holness, whose son is in Grade 1 at the existing Africentric grade school, says she hopes the trustees approve the idea to continue the Africentric schooling. "Anything new can be controversial," she said.

Holness says she was skeptical at first about the Africentric grade school but her opinion has changed.

"The whole outlook of this school, even for myself was, it was a black school. It was all black kids, black teachers. It was strictly about being black."

But Holness says it has turned out to be much more than that. The school, she says, gives children pride and confidence.

Rodrigues says when the board sits down to consider the proposal on Wednesday evening it should make its decision based on the success of the grade school.

"It's no different from any other alternative school. If we have an elementary that's successful we [should] proceed to a high school that's also successful," she said.

Rodrigues supports the idea of creating the Africentric high school but isn't sure where to locate it.