Social Justice Belongs In Our Schools | Sydney Chaffee | TEDxBeaconStreet

Summary

This transcript discusses the role of education in promoting social justice. The speaker emphasizes that education should not only focus on teaching subjects but also on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and activism in students. By connecting historical events like apartheid to current issues, students are encouraged to see themselves as agents of change. The speaker highlights the importance of teachers supporting students' voices, even when it challenges authority, fostering a learning environment where social justice, civic engagement, and critical thinking are central to education.

Takeaways

• 📚 Education can be a tool for social justice, helping students connect learning to real-world issues.
• 🧠 Teachers don't just teach subjects; they teach people, and must acknowledge students' identities and historical context.
• 🤔 Social justice in education encourages students to think critically, collaborate, and engage with history in meaningful ways.
• 👥 Teaching social justice means preparing students to understand systemic issues like racism and inequality.
• 🚶‍♂️ Schools are crucial spaces for activism and helping students become active, engaged citizens.
• 📊 Engaging in activism not only helps students learn leadership and critical thinking, but also improves their civic participation.
• 🔗 Historical events like the Soweto Uprising help students see connections between past struggles and current movements for justice.
• 🎓 Teachers should encourage students to explore diverse opinions and lead difficult conversations about justice and activism.
• ⚖️ Educators should give students the freedom to protest and use their voices while ensuring their safety and guiding their learning.
• 💡 Justice and education go hand-in-hand when schools support critical thinking, activism, and the development of civic-minded citizens.

Q & A

What is the speaker's definition of social justice?

The speaker defines social justice as the notion that all people in society deserve fair and equitable rights, opportunities, and access to resources.

Why does the speaker believe social justice has become controversial?

Social justice has become controversial because discussions about what working for social justice actually looks like have become unclear and divisive.

How does the speaker relate education to social justice?

The speaker believes that education can be a tool for social justice, as teachers don't just teach subjects, but they teach people, and everything students experience in classrooms is tied to historical context.

Why does the speaker reject the notion that teachers should not be social justice warriors?

The speaker rejects this notion because teachers are responsible for shaping students’ identities and views, and to act as if education happens in a vacuum would do students a disservice.

How does the speaker address the issue of racism in schools?

The speaker highlights systemic racism, referencing a study that shows 80% of white people harbor subconscious biases against black people, and uses this as an example of why social justice should be taught in schools.

What historical example does the speaker use to teach students about injustice?

The speaker uses the Soweto uprising during apartheid in South Africa, where students protested a law requiring them to learn in Afrikaans, a language they considered oppressive.

How did the speaker's students connect their learning about apartheid to their own lives?

The students began to ask themselves about their own political power, agency, and whether adults would listen to their voices, drawing connections between the Soweto uprising and their own potential for activism.

What role does the speaker believe schools should play in fostering activism?

The speaker believes schools should encourage students to engage in social justice work by teaching skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, and supporting students when they choose to take action.

What example does the speaker provide to show students’ activism in action?

The speaker shares a story of students organizing a walkout in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and how the school decided to support their activism rather than prevent it.

What is the speaker’s view on rebellion in students?

The speaker believes that when students rebel and push back thoughtfully, it should be seen as a sign that they are becoming engaged, critical thinkers, which is a positive outcome of education.