REFLECTING ...

One of the wonderful things about being human is that life is a journey during which we never stop learning.  We never stop experiencing the world, and hopefully never stop allowing our new experiences to inform our thinking.

As a professional educator, I believe that it is imperative to continue growing, learning, and deepening my understandings of the world, people, and the kaleidoscope of perspectives held.  Increasingly, I am recognizing the detrimental effects on some groups in society and our educational systems as a result of many decisions made based on 'majority' values or 'norms'.  As educational professionals, or more importantly, as educated public servants, I believe that it is incumbent upon teachers and school administrators to consider and help amplify the voice of those marginalized by the system.  We need to adhere and subscribe to a sense of justice that stipulates justice for every individual, thereby prescribing to a stand for social justice.

Considering whether or not my practice has been fair within the guiles of social justice is a difficult undertaking for me.  Not because I can not admit that I have

treated any individuals unfairly in the past - because I have, and then worked to rectify the situations - but rather because I have never considered my poor action choices to be as result of memberships to certain societal 'groupings'.  I have unfairly treated Chinese people, Japanese people, Dutch people, old people, young people, females and males.  I have treated my siblings unfairly, my wife unfairly, and probably even my children unfairly.  Have any of these injustices been the result of group biases and unequal access to power and privilege?  Or, could it be that I am human and make some poor choices?

Well, I am sure that the answer is BOTH . . . but mediating and finding a taxonomy that can appropriately classify one over the other is problematic.  Regardless of the language we use to describe such actions, however, one thing I am certain of is that the world would be a much better place to live - for everyone - if the ideologies promoted by the social justice movement  (very similar to those of Christianity) were worked towards by all citizens of the world.  Perhaps at the very least, these ideologies need to be adopted by all educators committed to the education of ALL young people - "red, yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight..."