social justice

The article critically engages with the assumptions embedded in RtI. It argues that while the policy may appear to be a comprehensive intervention system it does not directly engage with structural and contextual inequities in school districts. It is an important article for practitioners because it provides a critical lens to understand how policy alone cannot assure equitable outcomes.

Losen and his colleagues at the Civil Rights Project at UCLA provide readers with an analysis of current national and statewide data on continuing disparities in rates of punitive discipline for students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) based on race and ethnicity. Their recommendations define the critical changes needed to eliminate the inequities as part of a pathway to reformation.

This report highlights a two-year study that identified barriers and evidence-based solutions to improving the academic and social emotional learning (SEL) outcomes for African American students in California.

The article, First Encounters with Racism, is the result of collaboration between the New York Times and Youth Radio, Oakland, California. Written by four youths from differing backgrounds, the short pieces provide readers with a somber reminder that there is significant work to be done to erase pervasive discrimination and bias both in schools and in society.

The majority of children and teens in American schools are people of color. In the past, curriculum excluded the histories, knowledge, and perspectives of those who were not white, male, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied and Christian, although people from all groups contributed to the world that we know today. Ethnic studies is essential because it provides young people access to the full spectrum of human knowledge.