In this commentary, Shriberg acknowledges that social justice and racial justice are critical frameworks from which to view school psychology. Individually and collectively, the works in this special issue of "School Psychology Forum" have added a tremendous service to the field. In addition to advancing research, the articles challenge…

In this response article, the author agrees with Jacobson that the labeling of individuals as "hard to serve" is unfortunate and misdirected in that it suggests that these students are somehow deficient and are the problem rather than identifying complex systemic issues that make some adult education programs necessary in the first…

In this commentary, Danny Martin describes five key take-aways and two sets of questions that arose from his reading of "Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematics Success for All (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2014). Martin begins by noting that "Principles to Actions" is clearly a political document that…

This article looks at charter schools from the perspective of distributive justice. It suggests three principles of distributive justice that should be satisfied by schools: the adequacy principle, the equity principle, and the communicative principle. "It also sketches the justice argument for charter schools and uses the three principles to…

Beginning in the 1970s, many school US school districts reallocated their already scarce resources from local schools to specially created magnet schools. Many of these magnet schools have some sort of entrance exam, portfolio, or audition requirement that students must pass in order to gain admission. These selective magnet schools are predicated…

This essay presents a review on the theme of equity and social justice in teaching and teacher education based on articles published in TATE since its inception. It is a part of an initiative started by the current editors of TATE to "encourage us all to look backward to deepen our understandings of how earlier research has shaped our current…

The participation of people from ethnic minorities in UK higher education is greater than that of White people. Nevertheless, students from ethnic minorities are less likely to obtain "good" degrees (those awarded with first or upper second-class honours) than are White students. This article discusses some possible causes and…

This paper focuses on the issue of separate schooling. Diverse societies use schools to develop shared value systems, strengthen democratic engagements and provide better educational outcomes. However, in Europe, the United States, Australia and elsewhere groups of parents and communities have been invoking human rights claims to challenge the…

America has not realized the "melting pot" concept envisioned by idealists. Instead, racial, ethnic and cultural groups have remained largely distinct, separate societal entities that come together only by design, a phenomenon known as Balkanization. Students who mimic this behavior within the educational setting may do so to their academic peril.…

In his recent speech at a Harvard commencement ceremony, Bill Gates said that "reducing inequity is the highest human achievement." He recognizes that the problems of global health in this world, the challenges of alleviating poverty and despair, and the wide disparities in educational attainment require significant investment by those…

Rather than delineating a list of practices that are important for ensuring that mathematics prepares students for a more democratic citizenship, the author has outlined in this article three tensions in teaching that she argues are important in developing an equity stance in mathematics education. This focus on a "stance" suggests that the kinds…

Reflecting on the 2008 election, Prudence Carter challenges the popular notion that President Obama's victory is symbolic of a postracial society in the United States. Citing statistics about the opportunity gap that still exists in our nation's schools--as well as the recent Supreme Court cases that served to halt racial desegregation--Carter…

Addressing sensitive issues of race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender can be daunting for any instructor, and add to this teaching at an institution in the Deep South with a long history of racial tension beginning with the integration of the University and the not so popular emblems it has been known for. The author was apprehensive…

The "achievement gap" is one of the most disturbing phenomena in American education. Teachers want to close the gap in their own schools--but because the gap is rooted in longstanding and widespread problems, the task sometimes feels like a monumental undertaking. This fall, Teaching Tolerance launched the Teaching Diverse Students Initiative…

This paper presents the position that inclusion is limited; inclusion does not go far enough. The inclusive classroom has been assessed to be of benefit both to the teacher and student. There are, however, limits set on inclusion. In most classrooms only children with learning disability are included omitting those with severe disabilities,…