# data[].attributes.body
As an educator, my role is to lead students on a deep exploration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the opportunities to ponder, reflect, challenge, and wonder the applications of social justice in various communal settings. As historic and modern injustices create the dilemmas posed by a set of universal rights, I envision myself as a teacher who can facilitate and exude light upon those issues through literature and complex contextual pieces that will provide valuable insights and discussions among students.   The Philosophy of Social Justice lies in the fundamental basic beliefs in the declaration of human rights in today's society. Hence, it is the school leaders' role to prepare our students to develop their critical mindset, conceptual thinking to evaluate and process injustice versus justice, and become a just, fair-minded, empathetic, compassionate, and wise individual who will assume the civic duty with fairness and justice.

# data[].attributes.body
Social Justice Leadership: Eliminating marginalization and cultivating equitable educational opportunities for all. #EducationForAll

# data[].attributes.body
I do think both transformational and transanctional leadership styles are much needed for a leader to properly implement the school initiatives striving for excellence in students' learning and the optimal educational climate.  For a leader to be regarded as an inspirational leader and to be trusted as a reliable manager, he or she needs to understand both aspects of leadership styles so that a school organization can function effectively without hindering the logistics that are needed to be implemented with fidelity and accuracy. Leaders who can inspire and empower their followers to strive for excellence should also be the role models in such organizational setting; most importantly, they should also set clear expectations and paths for the teachers, students, and community members to understand the logistics of a school functionality as in connection to the systematic operations that must be governed and regulated with transparency.

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Justice Issue: Teacher Workforce Not Diverse Enough 

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Justice Issue: Teacher Workforce Not Diverse Enough 

# data[].attributes.body
As Florian (2009) stated, "One of the many difficulties with ensuring educational equity in the creation of ‘schools for all’ relates to the preparation of teachers to meet the challenges of teaching in schools that are increasingly diverse." It is deeply concerning to see the lack of representation of teachers with diverse background as a diverse teacher workforce could facilitate students develop an inclusive worldview that promotes realistic portrayal of a just and fair society. In order to establish an equitable community, the academia needs to examine the unbalanced portrayal of a diverse society as in contrast to the lack of diversity in school leaderships.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teacher diversity in K-12 classrooms is a problem for school districts across the country. Although people of color constitute more than one-third of the U.S. labor force, less than 20 percent of teachers identify as people of color. In some cities, the problem is especially acute: In Boston, there is one Hispanic teacher for every 52 Hispanic students and one black teacher for every 22 black students. Meanwhile, the ratio of white teachers to white students is one to fewer than three. The Center for American Progress' recent nationwide survey of school districts' human capital practices found that nearly half of school districts believe that teachers of color are "very difficult" to hire.

The lack of teachers of color in classrooms was a problem that CAP first highlighted in the 2011 report "Teacher Diversity Matters," which included a new approach-the teacher diversity index-that ranked states on the percentage-point difference between teachers of color and students of color. At the time, the findings were stark: While students of color made up more than 40 percent of the school-age population, teachers of color were only 17 percent of the teaching force.

CAP later released a follow-up report in 2014 that looked at 2012 data. The report found that the demographic divide between teachers and students of color had increased by 3 percentage points.

In an effort to keep up the drumbeat, CAP decided to run the numbers yet again. This time, in CAP's 2017 review, the authors looked at available data from state education agencies for the 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16 school years. The authors determined that teacher diversity numbers have only gotten worse since 2012. Meanwhile, the country's student population continues to grow more diverse. Of the 19 states with more recent data, all states saw an increase in their nonwhite student populations. This should come as no surprise, as 2014 saw the percentage of students of color exceed the percentage of white students in U.S. public schools for the first time.

However, as their student populations diversified, some states saw stagnation or decreases in their percentages of nonwhite teachers. These states include: Alabama; Arkansas; Colorado; Delaware; Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Minnesota; New Jersey; Oregon; and Washington. And among states that did post increases in their percentages of nonwhite teachers, only a couple rose more than a few percentage points. For example, Massachusetts' nonwhite teaching population crept up from 3 percent to 7 percent, while South Carolina's moved from 19 percent to 21 percent.

CAP analysis found that California has the largest gap-40 percentage points-between nonwhite students and teachers. Other states with large percentages of nonwhite students also fare poorly in the analysis. Florida's gap is 31 percentage points, Texas has a gap of 33 percentage points, and Illinois has a gap of 34 percentage points.

Why does teacher diversity matter? Research shows that teachers of color are often better able to engage students of color, increasing high school completion and college attendance rates for these students. And in an era of increased race-based bullying in schools, a diverse teacher workforce can help students develop a more realistic and inclusive worldview. All students, from Massachusetts to California, benefit from a more diverse teacher workforce.

There are obvious challenges, however, to building a diverse teacher workforce. Increasing teacher diversity means taking critical steps to fix the leaky teacher pipeline, which means expanding the teacher candidate pool to include more people of color and creating pathways for them to enter the profession. It also means paying and supporting these teachers adequately once they enter the classroom. Thankfully, groups are coalescing around this issue. The TeachStrong coalition, for example, has united a diverse cohort of education organizations equally dedicated to modernizing and elevating the teaching profession. TeachStrong's first goal is to recruit a more diverse group of high-achieving teacher candidates.

In May 2016, the TeachStrong coalition released a set of policy proposals for identifying, attracting, and developing educators of color. The recommendations called for revamped teacher preparation programs, higher standards for teacher licensure and certification, greater time for professional development, and targeted professional learning opportunities to address teacher needs. Nearly 70 national and state organizations have adopted these principles as a viable strategy for diversifying the teacher workforce.

The United States' student population will continue to become more diverse in the years to come. If we want to educate the next generation of young people to become conscientious, open-minded adults, we have to make sure that their teachers reflect our country's vast and rich diversity.
Catherine Brown is the Vice President of Education Policy at the Center for American Progress. Ulrich Boser is a Senior Fellow at the Center.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Revisiting the Persistent Teacher Diversity Problem - Center for American Progress

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teacher diversity in K-12 classrooms is a problem for school districts across the country. Although people of color constitute more than one-third of the U.S. labor force, less than 20 percent of teachers identify as people of color.

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Justice Issue:  Students with Disabilities With Equal Access to Educational Services

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Justice Issue:  Students with Disabilities With Equal Access to Educational Services

# data[].attributes.body
Special education as part of the civil rights movement provides students with disabilities to receive appropriate educational services for their successes in academic settings.  However, the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education is an ongoing concern that seems to be consistent in dis-proportionality due to various factors such as a long history of educational segregation and racial prejudices that exist through discriminatory acts. More specifically, factors such as implicit bias, test bias, poverty, and cultural misjudgment are some of the leading causes for targeting minority students to be labeled with such needs in special education programs. Examining the issue of racial and ethnic disparities in special education is a crucial step towards the equity in an education system.  Educators cannot dismiss nor disregard the direct implication of racial disparities impacting the growing representation of minority students in special education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The U.S. Department of Education took a critical step today toward addressing widespread disparities in the treatment of students of color with disabilities, proposing a new rule to improve equity in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The nation's special education law, IDEA, aims to ensure fairness in the identification, placement, and discipline of students with disabilities. Yet disparities persist, and students of color remain more likely to be identified as having a disability and face harsher discipline than their white classmates.

In order to address those inequities, IDEA requires states to identify districts with "significant disproportionality" in special education—that is, when districts identify, place outside the regular classroom, or discipline children from any racial or ethnic group at markedly higher rates than their peers. According to a new analysis by the Department of data states submitted under IDEA, hundreds of districts around the country with large racial and ethnic disparities go unidentified. For example, 876 school districts gave African American students with disabilities short-term, out-of-school suspensions at least twice as often as all other students with disabilities for three years in a row. But, in 2013, states identified fewer than 500 districts in total with "significant disproportionality."

"We have a moral and a civil rights obligation to ensure that all students, with and without disabilities, are provided the tools they need to succeed, regardless of background," said Acting U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. "IDEA exists for the purpose of ensuring that students get the unique services they need, and we owe it to them and to ourselves to uphold all of the law's provisions."

"At its core, My Brother's Keeper is about making sure all of our kids know they matter and have a clear pathway to achieve their dreams, regardless of where they come from, or the circumstances into which they are born," said Broderick Johnson, cabinet secretary and chair of the My Brother's Keeper Task Force. "Today's Equity in IDEA announcement brings us a critical step forward in closing the startling opportunity gaps that limit far too many of our children's potential."

The proposed Equity in IDEA rule would, for the first time, require states to implement a standard approach to compare racial and ethnic groups, with reasonable thresholds for determining when disparities have become significant. That determination is critical to ensuring students get the supports they need and deserve. Once identified as having a significant disproportionality, the district must set aside 15 percent of its IDEA, Part B funds to provide comprehensive coordinated early intervening services. Further, the policies, practices, and procedures of the district must be reviewed, and, if necessary, revised to ensure compliance with IDEA.

The proposed rule would also provide identified districts with new flexibility to support the needs of students. The Department has proposed to broaden the allowable uses of the 15 percent set aside, currently used to fund early intervening services, to include services to students with and without disabilities, from ages 3 through grade 12. Up until now, identified districts could only use these funds to support students without disabilities, and only in grades K through 12, severely limiting the use of interventions that might address early needs and reduce disparities in the placement and discipline of students with disabilities.

However, data clearly show that IDEA's mandate, as currently implemented, does not fulfil its intended purpose, resulting in limited implementation of early intervening services. That's why the Department is taking action today.

In 2013, the Government Accountability Office released a report showing the status quo has resulted in virtually no action to address this issue. Accordingly, the Department has found that, from year to year, only 2 to 3 percent of districts nationwide are identified with significant disproportionality, and required to take action. Further, the Department's analysis makes clear this figure fails to represent the true scope and breadth of significant disparities we currently see in special education.

Many children of color—particularly Black and American Indian youth—are identified at substantially higher rates than their peers. It is critical to ensure that overrepresentation is not the result of misidentification, which can interfere with a school's ability to provide children with the appropriate educational services required by law.

Disparities are also prevalent in the discipline of students of color with disabilities. With the exception of Latino and Asian-American students, more than one out of four boys of color with disabilities (served by IDEA)—and nearly one in five girls of color with disabilities—receives an out-of-school suspension.

Because of these disparities and their lasting impacts on children's lives, President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Task Force identified restoring equity for students with disabilities as a key priority. Today's announcement delivers on that commitment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
U.S. Department of Education Takes Action to Deliver Equity for Students with Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The U.S. Department of Education took a critical step today toward addressing widespread disparities in the treatment of students of color with disabilities, proposing a new rule to improve equity in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The nation's special education law, IDEA, aims to ensure fairness in the identification, placement, and discipline of students with disabilities.

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Justice Issue: Does racial diversity impact student achievement?

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Justice Issue: Does racial diversity impact student achievement?

# data[].attributes.body
Denson and Chang (2009) found that there are significant positive effects when students are in an environment with high engagement around issues of cultural diversity; however these are only loosely connected to the actual racial composition of the student body. These effects are largely the result of two key components of diversity within an education setting: curricular approach and student interaction and engagement. Combining these produces positive effects on both a student’s general academic skills and his/her ability to get along with diverse peers. A student’s personal level of cross-racial interaction is especially important at institutions where this interaction is generally lacking. This raises the important question of whether the inverse is true: that an institution’s heightened attention to diversity can overcome or compensate for a lack of this experience in a student’s personal background.

# data[].attributes.body
As we live in a capitalistic society, the monetary privatization and the bureaucratic status quo are the key driving forces in marginalizing the less privileged and disadvantaged groups of people as in accordance to their socio-economic status.

# data[].attributes.body
The Eurocentric Culture of most schools encourages academic competition. However, students from diverse cultural heritages with their home culture emphasizes cooperation. The notion of acculturation and assimiliation to the Eurocentric norms could impose hostility and inequity.

# data[].attributes.headline
"Leaders act in the stream of history.  Consequences are not a reliable measure of leadership." - John W. Gardner

# data[].attributes.subject
"Leaders act in the stream of history.  Consequences are not a reliable measure of leadership." - John W. Gardner

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Justice Issue:  Inequity in Federal Education Initiative 

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Justice Issue:  Inequity in Federal Education Initiative 

# data[].attributes.body
The Common Core State Standards propose for all students to be college and career ready, yet the evaluative process such as PARCC testings marginalize underfunded school districts with higher poverty rate. Consequently, those students who are racially marginalized become penalized at a greater risk with racialized achievement gaps. How can the education policies (federal initiatives) implement the inclusivity of all races?

# data[].attributes.body
How can educators create a safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environment for each and every student?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teach your students about making positive change in the world by connecting with them, discussing real-world problems and multiple perspectives, creating classroom community, and including authentic assessment.

# data[].attributes.headline
Philosophy of Social Justice Based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

# data[].attributes.subject
Philosophy of Social Justice Based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

# data[].attributes.body
Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Justice: What's The Right Thing To Do? Episode 01 "THE MORAL SIDE OF MURDER"

# data[].attributes.headline
Inclusive Leadership and Race Horsford and Clark

# data[].attributes.subject
Inclusive Leadership and Race Horsford and Clark

# data[].attributes.body
As in connection to the “Current Context of Race in Schools”, the federal education initiative such as Every Child Succeeds Act does not seem to implement the inclusive leadership in which the racial realism as well as racial reconciliation are considered for the designing of standardized testings. How could the districts with higher population of minority group of students be evaluated with just and fair accountability system as in accordance to the education initiatives and evaluative models?

# data[].attributes.body
"Never forget that justice is what LOVE looks like in PUBLIC."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dr. Cornel West: "The Profound Desire for Justice" (Excellence Through Diversity Series)