Chapter 7: A Neglected Dimension of Social Justice: A Model for Science Education in Rural Schools

Rural America, representing one-third of all U.S. schoolchildren, is much poorer than urban America, with 59 of the 66 poorest counties located in rural areas (Gates, 2004). Rural school districts, serving nearly 10 million children (Johnson & Strange, 2007) are at a disadvantage when competing for resources for professional development and attracting qualified teachers, with one in four rural science teachers lacking in academic preparation or certification (National Science Board [NSB], 2006). More than 400,000 educators teach in rural schools, representing 31% of all public school teachers (National Center for Education Statistics 2002). Compared to their nonrural counterparts, rural teachers average 13.4% less in salary, live in substandard housing, experience professional, cultural, and social isolation, and receive little if any professional development (Beeson & Strange, 2003; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Education Trust, 2003; Jimerson, 2003). Rural principals and superintendents feel ill-prepared for challenges that face them (Lamkin, 2006). Thus, although social justice is often discussed in terms of race, class, gender, disability, and sexual orientation, it may also be an issue of location—in this case, being located in a rural area.