Systemic institutional racism in schools engenders different and difficult educational experiences for students of Color. Relatedly, there is an enduring divide between home and school that often influences school curricula, teachers' pedagogies, and students' educational progress. Considering this preclusion to learning, this case study gleans…

This qualitative study examines how elementary students of Color develop and enact an abolitionist praxis as part of a "Freedom Dreaming" literacy unit. The analysis of focus-group interviews elucidates how, after learning about freedom dreaming and the abolition of prisons and police, students positioned historical anti-carceral…

As Philadelphia has a rich history in the fight for LGBTQ+ justice, this article centers on two examples of LGBTQ+ activism that were based in the city: Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit-In and Reminder Day. Predating the Stonewall Uprising in New York City, which is marked as the start of the contemporary LGBTQ+ Pride movement, the Dewey's Lunch Counter…

Following a randomized controlled trial that showed effectiveness of an equity-centered positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) professional development intervention on student discipline in elementary schools, we studied the extent to which the intervention had differential effects on individual teachers' use of exclusionary…

Purpose: This study explores how school principals can effectively integrate instructional leadership with social justice leadership, recognizing their dual roles in promoting academic excellence and fostering a socially just school environment. Research Methods: Participants in this qualitative study were 32 principals from elementary schools in…

Encouraging children to become 'good citizens' who positively contribute towards society through charitable and philanthropic action as part of their civic participation has become a core focus of policy and practice. Yet the opportunities afforded to children for active civic learning within primary education remain under-researched. This article…

Restorative practices provide alternatives to punitive practices, such as exclusionary discipline and zero tolerance policies. Restorative practices are important for elementary school counselors because they help repair the harm students do to one another while building positive relationships between and among students. A lack of understanding…

The current sociopolitical context of the United States has created a divide among the nation which has transpired into Kindergarten-12th grade public school settings. Throughout the United States school boards of education have banned books and Critical Race Theory while attacking social justice teaching pedagogies. Presently, there is growing…

This article describes a program which centered multilingualism and racial justice in higher education in an elementary teacher education program in the United States. By using the theory of ideological clarity, we sought to understand learning outcomes for teacher candidates (TCs) and their contexts, and make salient the racial and linguistic…

As people with power in schools, teachers and administrators make instructional decisions that shape opportunities in classrooms for students to learn. Educators' words and actions, especially related to the treatment of students and their ideas, are foundational for creating equitable learning communities in our classrooms and schools. David…

This article is a summary of information provided in a workshop encouraging educators to explore creating brave spaces in schools and communities through literacy. Educators are introduced to a culturally responsive pedagogy that prioritizes fostering inclusive literacy environments and supporting students with dignity. Teachers are encouraged to…

Although scholarship has shown that new teachers struggle to make the transition to in-service teaching and enact the progressive practices that they learned during pre-service preparation, little research has explored how first-year teachers develop a justice-oriented practice during this transition. This project centers on a critical learning…

Drawing on ethnographic data of an urban school, this paper contrasts how two White female teachers take up the idea of 'teaching for social justice.' Fourth-grade teacher Maestra Rachel enacts a superficial understanding focused solely on curricular topics, while third-grade teacher Maestra Jennifer roots her teaching in an understanding of how…

In the recent literature on the regulation of private schools by the state, Tooley argues that the state should refrain from such a practice. The important reasons for this view are that the state regulations are impractical and do not foster an entrepreneurship attitude. He prefers the implementation of a self-regulating mechanism for the private…

This paper describes the experiences of two teachers, Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik, who participated in a comprehensive National Science Foundation-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professional learning experience. This comparative case study describes how Ms. Santiago and Mr. Jelenik leveraged the…