ABSTRACT
In a politically divided country, school board work has become extremely difficult. In this article, we argue Paulo Freire’s theory of critical consciousness is both relevant and informative for current and future school board members. This article describes how critical consciousness can be applied to the pressing work of school boards to ensure equity and excellence for communities and schools.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional Resources
1. Aitchison, J., & McKay, V. (2021). A historical remembrance of Paulo Freire in South Africa: A tale of two activists. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 61, 335–352. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1331127.pdf
Academics John Aitchison and Veronica McKay employed Freirean thought in apartheid South Africa and describe its impact on their respective praxis as academic activists. Aitchison and McKay reflect on how Freire’s theories helped inform and advance the struggle against apartheid education. The authors credit Freire for substantially contributing to the South African struggle against institutional racism.
2. Tutu, D. (1999). No future without forgiveness. Doubleday, Inc.
The author, Desmond Tutu, argues that failing to recognize the horrors humans can inflict upon one another does not serve the interest of the dominant group or its victims. Tutu shows that by engaging with the affected community, all parties gain insight that leads to redemption and reconciliation
3. Joseph, S., Arar, K., Karaburk, H., & Elbedour, S. (2023). Superintendents as social justice advocates for African American female students in STEM. International Journal of Leadership in Education.https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2023.2261403
Increasing the number of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduates involves attracting and maintaining more women of color in STEM careers. Superintendents can serve as social justice advocates to increase the number of African American female students to STEM fields. Superintendents also must address inequitable resource distribution and other marginalizing issues in school districts.