Social justice is a concept that suggests all people, regardless of their gender, race, and sexuality, should have equal and fair access to aspects such as wealth, health, justice, and opportunities (Au, 2013) .As a result of many trends that confront schools and the education system around the globe, leaders should work towards creating school environments and schools that are socially just. Socially just schools and education systems are essential because they help in improving educational opportunities for young children. Statistics indicate that countless children are not in a position to access quality education because of discrimination that is usually race, gender, or sexual based. Social justice advocates that all children should learn in safe environments where all children are provided with equal opportunities (Bogotch, 2002).
This paper will focus on how leaders can work towards creating schools that are socially just. Some other issues that will be addressed are some of the factors that influence reforms, such as neo-liberalism, to determine how social justice in schools can be adopted.
As a result of the many trends confronting schools and educations systems in general, there is a need for school leaders to work towards creating more socially just schools and learning methods. First and foremost, we should understand what a psychologically just school entails (Christensen & Dorn, 1997). Social justice is more of a political concept than a philosophical one, which suggests that all people, regardless of their gender, race, and sexuality, should have equal and fair access to aspects such as wealth, health, justice, and opportunities. Social justice in schools has been a significant concern in the last decade due to the many trends that are confronting schools and education systems in general across the globe (Teese, 2010).
The continuously growing inequalities in terms of class, race, gender, and sexuality have made it almost impossible for schools to reinvent themselves around the aspect of social justice entirely. Studies conducted have revealed that for any school or education system to succeed, then there must be an equal distribution of resources and opportunities to all learners regardless of their race, gender, or sexuality (Fitzgerald, Stacey, McGrath-Champ, Parding, Rainnie, 2018).This, therefore, calls for schools and education systems to be reinvented in ways that work for the advantage of students. A school or education system that is founded based on social justice should have some of the following ideas taught in it. First, the school should articulate its purpose regarding social injustice. Here, it is expected that schools and education systems have rules and principles regarding the issue of social justice in general. Secondly, institutions should be focused on learning and embrace a culture of innovation that is not biased in any way (Furman, 2012).
Also, Liasidou and Antoniou (2015) support that teaching of learners to think as co-learners can help in reducing the adverse effects of bad behaviors. Most of the school leaders ensure that students are working as co-learners, thus reducing adversaries in schools. The author argued that this mode of teaching learners allows learners to understand whenever they disagree. Coming to a collective agreement is a fundamental part of building the issue of social just. According to Proctor, Freebody and Brownlee (2015) leaders should call for unity and togetherness, thus helping learners to copy suitable morals. For one to be morally appropriate and fit in society, then he or she must respect and handle other people in a proper manner. When learners emulate these character of respecting one’s dignity, then it will be easy to get an ethical society. Any society with noble virtues helps in giving directions to the elements within its stretching corners. This means that when leaders ensure respect for dignity, then learners will understand and thus promoting just human society (Salm, Mukhlid & Tokhi, 2018).
Moreover, schools and other related stakeholders should ensure that they enact democratic forms of practice. It should be made a priority that all students and other stakeholders are provided with an environment of displaying educative styles of leadership (Lingard, 2014). Consequently, schools and education systems should be community-minded.
Scholars strongly believe that survival for many children in school is continually becoming a bare reality. The impact of social injustice in education systems and schools, in general, has seen many children drop out of school (Gobby, Keddie, Blackmore, 2018). Our society has been centered on the fact that some people in the community have more than ours. The effects of neoliberalism have been so far-reaching in education systems globally. In countries like Australia, education systems and curricula have been reshaped drastically by neoliberalism (Theoharis & O’Toole, 2011).
Education systems and schools should aim towards advocating children’s best interests. Schools are social institutions that play a very crucial role in the growth and overall development of youths and young children (Miller & Martin, 2015). Educations systems have had a significant impact on the lives of young children, especially those that are disadvantaged socially. Most schools and educations systems have endorsed outcome-based reforms. Such reforms have not had any positive impact on the lives of young children and students globally but rather have blamed students based on their alleged deficits, family backgrounds, and personal histories (Keddie, 2016).As mentioned earlier, schools and education systems should be designed in such a way that they are socially inclusive and acknowledge all students equally regardless of their gender, race, or sexuality. Socially just education systems and school settings are those that provide advance interest as well as life chances for all students (Smyth, 2011). It is also required that they offer a particular focus on marginalized students to reduce the number of early school dropouts. An education system or school setting is essential because it provides all youths and children secure and meaningful learning experience. Regarding to this, it is correct to say that education systems and schools should not be regarded as in just but rather should be seen as socially just settings that freely allows the modeling of young children into more productive men (Keddie, Mills, Pendergast, 2011).
Consequently, scholars firmly believe that school cultures play an influential role in the issue of social justice in schools and other institutions of learning. Most of the schools are usually focused on teacher quality and development. This is, however, not appropriate. Education systems and schools should embrace a student-centered culture. Student-centered school cultures are those that emphasize student growth and development. Positive school culture makes schools more democratic (Payne & Welch, 2015). Education systems and schools should also strive to demonstrate the importance of building critical communities and maintaining sustainable relationships with them. The best way to develop and come up with education systems that are socially just is through teaching students what it means to be part of a community. The curriculum should also be designed in a way that acknowledges students’ aspirations and interests. They should also be in the forefront in appreciating and advocating for cultural diversity (Keddie, 2014). School leaders also play a very crucial role in creating education systems and school settings that are socially just. Leaders should be at the forefront of advocating for social justice in schools. They are appointed or elected to represent the views of the people (Reay, 2016). They should, therefore, focus on creating school environments that are safe and fair to students.
Besides, school leaders can ensure there is bridging of the behaviors and belief in school. Arar, Beycioglu and Oplatka (2017) cited that principals and other school leaders should deploy multiple mechanisms promoting social just. Though this analogy it means that school leaders should integrate counterproductive tactics to eradicate unjust morals. The idea is that the school leaders have the capability to enable the demand of unjust is thoroughly dispersed. According to Ball (2016) school leaders have the suitable power that can help them to release rules and policies needed to run the school. The author shows that historically a classroom is the whole unit that will induce social just aspect. It means that what leaders are educating in class is what will affect how the students transform into an only system. It is the mandate of the school leaders to ensure certain behaviors such as bullying are drained from the learners. Teaching importance of social justice is one of the best procedure for instilling and promoting a social just. When all learners get appropriate direction then they will reflect and give productive morals. On another hand bridging of behaviors and belief in school can be promoted by outlining the goals of social just (Smyth, 2012). There have been multiple challenges facing the entire system of education. Leaders have realized on how these challenges reduces the growing rate of social justice. Current school leaders have realized how goals of justice can promote modelling of learners who can develop social just. In simple words social just cannot manifest itself if no specific efforts used. School leader’s needs to comprehend social just cannot be achieved by just using instructions and rule in school. The school leaders should realize how social only is accomplished by coming with solutions for challenges being faced by the school. According to Boscardin and Lashley (2019) school leaders need to advocate for social justice and this is possible if they educate learners the fundamental effect of a social just society. Leaders therefore, should use suitable resources to campaign for social just in school. They must understand they are the only integral units who can teach what to follow in school.
On another hand, the school leaders should add up the philosophy of social just in the school atmosphere. Celoria (2016) cited that philosophy of education ensure social justice is fully manifested in schools environment. Schools are the places of hope, and students ought to realize that they need to teach learners how to reflect ethical morals. Schools should make everyone and each stakeholder in school on the issue of critical skills. The critical and creative skills are the virtues that advocate for common sense. This means that school leaders emulate the point of being focused, thus teaching learners on social just. The classroom is the only zone where leaders can go down to direct conversation with learners. Through this, leaders are in the position to utter useful advice and direction speeches for instilling the concept of social just. According to Keddie (2012) school leaders are supposed to foster and make the classroom as a community of conscience. Creating a community of conscience in schools is the only way to achieve and get a philosophy of education. The best school leaders are the ones who are ready to allow direct communication with learners. By doing all these, they are capable of hearing and listening to learner’s demands. The demands or views from the learners pivot how to instill socially-just virtues. The philosophy of education in enhancing social justice demands school leaders to ensure there is direct contact and communication with the learners. The main idea for all these is to listen and respond with the best and suitable solutions or decisions (Smyth, 2008).
On another hand, school leaders should ensure learners perceive education as the only thing to achieve suitable paths of life (McGregor, 2017). Teaching learners to be competitive will prepare them to grasp appropriate virtues such as morals and rules building a socially just system. The teaching experience gained by the school leaders from various fields is the only strength leaders should use to develop and address social justice. Strengthening and bringing different diverse backgrounds into the education system creates the issue of social injustice. By mastering the necessary formulas for teaching truth will help schools to understand each other. The ability to prepare learners to enhance unity will help in fighting away morals, such as racism and social injustice. Learners should never be allowed to think of the issue of racism and social injustice in schools. The school leaders have to bring the issue of racism and social injustice in the classroom as a unit (Reay, 2017). Through this process, it will be easy for schools to apply virtues related to social just. Bullying and torturing other students in schools is the only inlet for social injustice. When learners grow in a weak society in terms of morals, then they won’t realize the impact of applying social justice traits. When leaders educate learners on how to avoid these nasty morals, then it will be simple for schools to be socially viable. The learners need to avoid cynical peers that can transform installed social justice characters. Resigning and following the right behavior will help learners to be focused on academics and other social virtues needed by schools. Therefore, according to Mok and Oba (2007) school leaders should work on improving procedures required to honor human dignity. Respect and discipline can only prepare learners to follow the policies of a socially just society.
Besides school leaders needs to turn social just learning as community service and action program. It means that when learners in school discusses or learns social just, the school leaders will therefore help these students to see the expected behavior. The whole idea is that learners will be learning suitable practices and morals and then display all these to society. Mentoring of the learners in school can be the best program for advocating social justice in schools. Molla and Gale, (2018) cited that school leaders can utilize all opportunities available to demonstrate and create awareness on the importance of social just in schools. Building these programs advocating for the spread of social just in schools can help in accessing positive changes needed by society.
Social justice is a social concept that emphasizes quality in school settings and environments. As discussed above, social justice in schools is essential for the growth and overall development of young children. Leaders should, therefore, play a huge role in advocating for schools that are socially just. Leaders in school can support these by writing assignments which will help learners to reflect necessary virtues that will evoke social change. Ultimately, social just is a simple and easy process which can be achieved in a single lesson. It means the issue of social is just a critical aspect that needs to be integrated with actions and philosophies required by leaders. The ability to help learners to achieve live principle by school leaders accelerates the issue related to social just. Leaders need to encourage learners in school to respect and participate in virtues resulting to positive changes.
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