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Senior Thesis Education Is Social Justice To Our Generation
Senior Thesis Education Is Social Justice To Our Generation
Selena Beltran
Abstract
This paper will discuss the bridge between education and social justice and explore the
idea that education really is social justice. The research will include points made by people who
are directly involved with education and see it as a service that gives and creates. The research
will include strong points argued by the Former United States Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan, who urges the country to accept the idea that education is a form of social justice, in
order to secure a better future through economic prosperity. This paper will introduce the cycle
that a quality education has on a person, themselves, their community, and the world. 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. For that reason and others, education should be accepted and treated as much more
than just a state requirement, when it is something that benefits everyone even those who are not
educated.
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 research such as media
videos, newspaper articles, interviews, and book research that identifies education as a form of
social justice. This research supports the idea that when a student is brought up in a unequal
educational environment and they acknowledge that, they go on to pursue a higher education to
help themselves and their communities, later impacting the world. As a result, they 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
Many 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 (2011). In other words,
Mullenholz believes that education is the key for any student to succeed in life and create change
in their own world. This idea implies that without education students would not pursue and
create goals for themselves and thus, the future (2011). To follow up on that, Lisa Hiltbrand, a
role model to the Career Girls organization Hiltbrand, is a strong advocate for the idea that
education is about, creat(ing) opportunities for students' voices to be heard (2014). Hiltbrand,
believes that through education comes opportunities. These opportunities give students the
security and possibilities that they need in order to change the world considering that
opportunities grant students the freedom to develop unseen and unheard of ideas that are an
essential part of the process. Most importantly, former United States Secretary of Education Arne
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Duncan, who advocates for the idea that education is a value as deeply ingrained in the
American spirit as service itself. (2009). Duncan argues that education is an important aspect of
the American spirit by comparing it to the social services that are provided to the American
people (2009). Therefore , 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 (2014). DellAngelo, advocates for
the idea that social justice is a big part of creating change and developing new and innovative
ideas. These ideas are developed and put into practice through the help of teachers on a daily
basis. Therefore 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 (2016). The writers
offers 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, all 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
(students) lives (2014). Hiltbrand also conveys the idea that with an education people are able
to find progress and change that creates improvement (2014). 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 (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 that education is a social service that creates a domino effect
if and 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? Author of
Creating Classrooms for Social Justice, Tabitha DellAngelo 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. (DellAngelo, 2014). 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
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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
(Hayazaki,). 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 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 making
Understanding how connected education and social justice are, creates the awareness that
everybody 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. (2009). Through his lecture delivered at Harvard University, Duncan
advocates for the pivotal role that education has on the country and focuses on the connection
education has on the economy. 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 who was a big part of the educational field in the US advocates
for the idea that the key to a better and more economically settled future is simply education or at
least in the United States education is key. 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
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formation of creating change to make a better future for all after all, education reform is a daily
Conclusion
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 then is able to improve not only for
themselves but for others but not limited to including their community and close environment.
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
References
Adams, M., Bell, L.E., Goodman, D.J., & Joshi, K.Y. (2016). Teaching for Diversity and Social
Career Girls, (2014, January 17). Teacher: Education and Social Justice - Lisa Hiltbrand Career
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNN6Ioyjzqg
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from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-classrooms-for-social-justice-tabitha-
dellangelo
Duncan, A. (October 9, 2009) Call to Service. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA.. Retrieved
from
https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/call-service-lecture-harvard-university
from http://articles.latimes.com/2002/oct/09/local/me-class9
from https://blog.ed.gov/2011/08/education-is-social-justice/