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Selena Beltran
14, April 2017
Education is Social Justice to Our Generation

Today, it is inferred that education is essential in the makeup of a student, but is education

really social justice? There are several types of research including longitudinal research that

scientifically identifies education as being a form of social justice. When a student is brought up

in a unequal educational environment they tend to become educated and as a result, find

themselves fighting for improvement and equality to find a fair balance for others who will go

through the same situation. This change and strive for improvement is a domino effect, a chain

that reflects the door and pathway that education creates for social change and thus, creating a

direct link between education and social justice.

What is education, and who should have an education? Many may believe that education

is what students gain by attending educational settings, others may think differently. Greg

Mullenholz, a Washington Teaching Ambassador, suggests that Education (is) a dividing line

between success and failure (Mullenholz, 2011). Mullenholz states that education is the key for

any student to succeed in life and create change in the world, without education no student would

pursue and create goals for themselves and the future. In addition, Lisa Hiltbrand, a role model to

the Career Girls organization is a strong advocate for the idea that education is about, creat(ing)

opportunities for students' voices to be heard Career Girls (2014). Therefore Hiltbrand, explains

that through education comes opportunities. These opportunities give students the security and

possibilities that they need in order to change the world with their unseen or unheard of ideas

that are an essential part of the process. Most importantly, former United States Secretary of

Education Arne Duncan, advocates for the idea that education is a value as deeply ingrained in

the American spirit as service itself. Duncan (2009). Duncan states that education is an
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important aspect of the American spirit as he compares it to social services that are provided to

the American people. In other words, the value of education is just as important as the value of

providing a service to others, services that carry the ideals of social justice. Therefore, education

is social justice and as a mark of social justice, education creates a chain of progress for the

current and future generations.

If education is about creating change and improvement, then, what is social justice? Who

deserves social justice? DellAngelo Tabitha, author of Creating Classrooms for Social Justice,

suggests that Social justice is recognizing and acting upon the power that we have for making

positive change. Teachers do this every day in many ways DellAngelo (2014). DellAngelo,

states that social justice is a big part of creating change and new and innovative ideas. These

ideas are developed and put into practice through the help of teachers. By doing so, teachers

provide a social service and improve the quality and meaning of the education they provide to

their students. Moreover, Adams, M., Bell, L.E.,Goodman, D.J., & Joshi, K.Y. state that, social

justice involves social actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of social

responsibility towards and with others, their society, the environment, and the broader world in

which we live Adams, M., Bell, L.E., Goodman, D.J., & Joshi, K.Y. (2016). The writers offer

the idea that with the help of education students are able to find a path in life that is filled with

many opportunities alongside change that not only affects them in a school environment but also

affects society, the environment, and the world around them in a positive manner.

Since education is about improvement and students are both in need of social justice but

also act as agents of social justice, then education is undoubtedly a form of social justice. People

who work or volunteer in the educational world like Lisa Hiltbrand, who is a role model for the

Career Girls organization, advocate ideas that suggest that, having an education can change
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(students) lives Career Girls (2014). Hiltbrand also conveys the idea that with an education

people are able to find progress and change that creates improvement. That idea serves as a link

between education and social justice, as it suggests that after progress and improvement, students

can help others do the same. Furthermore, as best stated by former United States Secretary of

Education, Arne Duncan, education is the civil rights issue of our generation. Duncan (2009).

Duncan explains that education is the key to having the life that a student strives and dreams

about, through education goals are endless. In fact, for many, education is, the one true path out

of poverty. Duncan (2009). Ultimately, advocates of education and people who have first hand

experienced the benefits of an education understand the social service that continues the pattern

and domino effect that is created when education is treated and accepted as a realistic form of

social justice.

The big question now is, are there really social justice schools out there? Tabitha

DellAngelo, author of Creating Classrooms for Social Justice states that, this isn't something

that just gets done in diverse classrooms, or classrooms that lack diversity, or urban classrooms --

or any other special category of school. It is a way of teaching and being that supports high-level

thinking and learning throughout our lives. Teaching through social justice allows students to

think on a higher critical level that encourages them to explore and think deeper and harder about

how they really see the world. In fact, Erika Hayazaki of the Los Angeles Times and writer of

Making Social Justice Part of the Curriculum interviewed Roger Lowenstein, founder and

former Executive Director of Los Angeles Leadership Academy to discuss his vision for creating

a school environment with a strong foundation on social justice. In his interview, Roger states

that, "the whole idea behind the Leadership Academy is that, if kids take power in their lives and

communities, it makes them much more attached to their education Hayazaki (2002). .Roger is
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a strong advocate for the belief that incorporating social justice in the lives of the students

motivates them to appreciate and build a relationship with their education as well as their

community. Moreover, a close relationship with the community and their education creates a

strong force of change and progress for those involved.

Understanding how connected education and social justice are, creates the awareness that

everyone benefits from education as a form of social justice. Former United States Secretary of

Education, Arne Duncan makes a strong point by saying that, education is the key to our long-

term economic prosperity. Duncan (2009). Through his lecture delivered at Harvard University,

Duncan advocates for the pivotal role that education has on the country. He continues by

pointing out that we are still waiting for the day when every child in America has a high quality

education that prepares him or her for the future. Duncan (2009). Duncan states that the key to a

better and more economically settled future is simply education, in a sense education is what

makes the world go round. He is a strong believer that every child in America should have access

to an equal education for the sake of a more improved future. By and large, anybody that is

trying to get educated and anybody who is involved in the educational system in any way is

involved in the formation of creating change to make a better future for all after all, education

reform is a daily fight for social justice Duncan (2009).

As has been noted, education is essential in the makeup of a student who through the

education becomes a refined version of who they were and is able to improve others including

their community and the world. As a domino effect, education leads to social changes and a cycle

of improvement and progress, all leading to a better tomorrow. Education has been, continues to

be, and will forever be a tool of social justice for all generations.
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Works Cited

Adams, M., Bell, L.E., Goodman, D.J., & Joshi, K.Y. (2016). Teaching for Diversity and Social

Justice. New York, New York: Routledge.

Career Girls, (2014, January 17). Teacher: Education and Social Justice - Lisa Hiltbrand Career

Girls Role Model. [Video File]. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNN6Ioyjzqg

DellAngelo, T. (2014, September 29). Creating Classrooms for Social Justice, Retrieved
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from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-classrooms-for-social-justice-tabitha-

dellangelo

Duncan, A. Call to Service. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 9, October 2009. Retrieved

from

https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/call-service-lecture-harvard-university

Hayazaki, E. (2002, October 9). Making Social Justice Part of the Curriculum,

Los Angeles Times. Retrieved

from http://articles.latimes.com/2002/oct/09/local/me-class9

Mullenholz, G. (2011, October. 25). Education is Social Justice. Retrieved

from https://blog.ed.gov/2011/08/education-is-social-justice/

Pearl Academy, India, (2016, January 8). What is Education. [Video File]. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqwyjiZVyeY