Chapter 2: A Context for Developing Social Justice for Staff and Students: Communities of Professional Learners

The purpose of schools is student learning, and social justice in education is about ensuring that all students regardless of race, creed, color, socioeconomic status, gender, or disability have access to and receive the highest quality education (Cochran-Smith et al., 2009; Curren, 2009). The most significant factor in whether students learn well is quality teaching (Haycock & Crawford, 2008; Peske & Haycock, 2006). Such teaching is increased, enhanced, and expanded through continuous professional development (Hord, 2009, 2010). Teachers cannot promote social justice if they do not possess the knowledge and skills, beliefs and attitudes necessary to ensure success for all students. Principals likewise cannot lead a school committed to social justice if they do not believe in social justice and possess a vision for advancing it in a high-performing school, knowing how to prioritize resources, and support the needs of faculty to achieve this vision. Both are possible and substantive research demonstrates so (American Institute for Research, 2007).