So Ryerson thought  a particular way in his time.  I agree that it is so important to understand the time and why he and others thought the way they did.  The good he and others did in our history should be examined as rigorously as the mistakes and problems encountered over the actions and thinking of the time.  Yes, Ryerson thought of a seperate school system for a group of people.  We see remnants of those thoughts in Ontario today so does the idea in general work?  After all, Ryerson did not set up or operate the residential schools.   More recently, all Ontario governments have maintained  and supported the Catholic separate school system and also advocated for and implemented separate black-centric schools.