Social Recon - Justice

Social Justice/Social Reconstruction: 

Social Justice/Social Reconstruction Dr. Agosto – USF – Foundations of Curriculum

Maat, Isis (Egyptian) Replaced by Romans (Justitia): 

Maat, Isis (Egyptian) Replaced by Romans (Justitia) 2

The Justice League: 

The Justice League 3

George S. Counts – U.S. Social Reconstructionist: 

George S. Counts – U.S. Social Reconstructionist (1889-1974) Dare the School Build a New Social Order? (1932) What did he propose? 4

PowerPoint Presentation: 

George S. Counts proposed Economic Restructuring for democracy Extension of property rights (ownership) Collective ownership of capital Abandonment of individualistic affiliations (re: economics) Technology be released from domination and the resulting system of production and distribution be made to serve the masses of the people. The world society ought to be conceived on the principle of the moral equality of races and nations. 5

W. E. B. DuBois (1935) Response to Counts: 

W. E. B. DuBois (1935) Response to Counts “Whenever a teachers’ convention meets and tries to find out how it can cure the ills of society, there is simply one answer; the school has but one way to cure the ills of society and that is by making men intelligent. To make men intelligent, the school has again but one way, and that is, first and last, to teach them to read, write and count. And if the school fails to do that, and tries beyond that to do something for which a school is not adapted, it not only fails in its own function, but it fails in all other attempted functions. Because no school can organize industry, or settle on the matter of wage and income, can found homes or furnish parents, can establish justice or make a civilized world” (p. 257). W. E.B. DuBois, cited in Kenneth James King, Pan-Africanism and Education: A study of Race, Philanthropy, and Education in the Southern States of America and East Africa (Oxford, Eng.: Clarendon Press, 1971). 6

Toward Social Justice: 

Toward Social Justice Ideal Moving target Wrongs, Ills (injustices) _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ 7

John Rawls 1921-2002: A Classical Liberal Perspective of Justice A Theory of Justice (1971): 

John Rawls 1921-2002: A Classical Liberal Perspective of Justice A Theory of Justice (1971) Major principles emphasize difference, distribution of “social and economic inequalities”, and an equality of opportunity that is to be the greatest benefit to the least advantaged members of society (p. 5-6). 8

Concepts Associated with Justice : 

Concepts Associated with Justice Equality Condition Opportunity (i.e., access) Outcomes Equity 9 Fair, just, impartial Differentiated distribution/treatment Action toward change Redress (correct past wrongs) Equal, even, level

Types of Justice : 

Types of Justice Distributive (distribution of goods, services) Recognitive (recognition: respect, dignity, voice) Restorative (consequences or amends for wrongdoing) Procedural (rules, processes) 10

Distributive Justice: Criteria: 

Merit: earned Desert: deserved Need: ? required x for y. 11 Distributive Justice: Criteria

Social Reconstructionism: 

Social Reconstructionism Resurgence in1960s as Social Justice Critical Pedagogy Multicultural Education that is Social Reconstructionist (culturally relevant, responsive curriculum/pedagogy, ethnic studies) Democratic Education Social Justice Anti-oppressive education 12

Social-reconstructionism/Social Justice: 

Social- reconstructionism /Social Justice Society is imperfect Ills remedied through active participation of people Change to meets the needs of more,(if not all). Curriculum prepares students to understand, advocate, and participate in righting the wrongs of society – [of which their own lives are at stake]. Social responsibility: self, others (i.e., allies for…) Institutions and people are the problem and solution. Holds society accountable for enacting ideals it espouses: liberty/freedom, justice/equality/equity 13

Social Consciousness: 

Social Consciousness Social Change 14

PowerPoint Presentation: 

15 Action Continuum Work Against Social Justice Actively joins in the behavior No response: Denying or Ignoring No response: Recognizing but not acting against Work Toward Social Justice Educate oneself (awareness) Interrupt the behavior (skills) Interrupt and educate: Questioning and dialoguing (skills/knowledge) Interrupt and educate: Supporting & Encouraging (knowledge/action) Initiate an organized response (social action) Adopted from Maurianne Adams for Allies for Social Justice at www.wesleyan , edu/reslife/asj

Examples: 

Examples 16 Major Motion Pictures Documentaries Books Public Intellectuals Research

Transformational Servant-Leaders: 

Transformational Servant-Leaders Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 1929-1968 Assassinated Be the change you want to see. 1869-1948 Assassinated 1901-1978 Died of Cancer A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. 17

MYLES HORTON 1905 - 1990 : 

MYLES HORTON 1905 - 1990 HIGHLANDER FOLK SCHOOL (1932) COMMUNITY-BASED GRASS ROOTS LEADERSHIP TRAINING DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION ROSA PARKS AND DR. M. L. KING 18

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Pedro Albizu Campus High School (PACHS) 19

Paper Clips: 

Paper Clips PAPER CLIPS (2006) 82 min Children of Whitwell, TN collected 6 million paper clips representing Jewish people who were killed in the Holocaust 20

PowerPoint Presentation: 

http:// Freedom Writers 21

PowerPoint Presentation: 

http://www.twospirits.org/film.html Two Spirits Documentary 2009 Two Spirits: broadcasted nationally in the U.S. during the 2010-2011 season of the PBS series "Independent Lens." Two Spirits 22

Chicano Student Walk-Outs (1968): 

Chicano Student Walk-Outs (1968 ) 23

PowerPoint Presentation: 

http://www.algebra.org / THE ALGEBRA PROJECT “MATH LITERACY IS THE KEY TO 21st CENTURY CITIZENSHIP”

PowerPoint Presentation: 

25 http://www.neiu.edu/~bschultz/images/activist/activist.html (2008)

Van Jones from the Ella Baker Center on the Green Economy: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SmF3B3734E&feature=player_embedded Van Jones from the Ella Baker Center on the Green Economy 26 Environmental Education – Eco-Equity

PRINCIPALS AS WARM DEMANDERS: ETHICS OF JUSTICE AND CARE: 

PRINCIPALS AS WARM DEMANDERS: ETHICS OF JUSTICE AND CARE http:// The Wallace Foundation: North Grand Goal 98% graduation rate 27

Principals Disrupting Injustice: 

Principals Disrupting Injustice 28 Principals (Theoharis, 2010)

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Tracking ability/group [race, class, gender, ethnicity] Technology Gap/Digital Divide Achievement Gaps/Education Debt Discipline Gap Heterosexism, heteronormativity, LGBTPQ²IA²-2spirit Socio-cultural difference (language, communication styles) Infringements on religious freedom, insensitivity Bias in testing, curriculum, assessment Domination of Eurocentric culture (language, knowledge) Environmental Racism, Eco-Apartheid 29 Social Justice

End of Presentation : 

End of Presentation 30