Chapter 7: A Social Justice Curriculum For Appalachia

The Appalachian region of the United States is in a state of crisis. Economically downtrodden, its citizens, in general, make less money, have poorer health, have less education, and have fewer opportunities for improvement than many others in the United States. Schools in this region tend to be underperformers as well, often falling well below national averages on standardized assessments (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009). Despite such realities, it is not the case that teachers and students in Appalachia do not care about education. Educators in the region not only face the normal challenges of education within their schools, but must also deal with the harsh material realities of their region. Rampant poverty and subsequent lack of resources in the region negatively affect literacy abilities, and this in turn affects the ability of Appalachians to bring about change in their material realities. This connection between education and economics is significant in all regions of the United States but is especially salient in Appalachia. For these reasons, among others, Appalachian teachers must adopt an orientation that enables them to see how “their everyday teaching practice is connected to issues of social continuity, change, equity, and social justice” (Zeichner, 2009, p. 54).