Working alongside students, parents, and families

Social justice in schools requires authentic collaboration among school leaders and marginalized students and families. 

As faculty members who teach aspiring and in-service school leaders, we see a deep desire from our students to find better ways to make their schools more equitable and welcoming, particularly for marginalized students and families.

The voices of Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous students and families are missing as decision makers and agents of change in schools, for several reasons. Most public schools operate within a traditional hierarchy, with those at the higher levels of the organization, such as the superintendent, school board, and state legislature or agency, making the decisions. Also, educators and society believe that adults know what is best for kids and that young people do not have the maturity, wisdom, or life experience to make important decisions about their lives. In fact, research has found that this is far from the truth (Lac & Mansfield, 2018).