More Than A Woman

It’s all about being more than you expect.

More than a name, a symbol, or a role. It is I AM woman… Hear me roar! Hehe!

What good timing that I would write about the adventures (and misadventures) of being a women in the 21st century when the media is heavily focused on the recent comments of Sen. Arkin concerning women’s bodies.

In context of this media frenzy surrounding women, I recently watched a movie that looked at the identity of women in society. It is an unusual movie full of symbolism and more artistic than a boy meets girl story. There was a young woman character that really intrigued me because she was trying to cope with adolescence and her journey of becoming a woman.

She looks to the other women in the movie for guidance but they are so stuck in their own identity crises that she is over-looked. The women characters symbolize different roles of women in society: the successful professional, the intellectual scientist, the hopeful romantic, and the provocative stripper… almost like my favorite show Sex and the City!

Fortunately, there are many more roles for women that are not portrayed in the movie. There is also much more flexibility to shift and out of these roles to have an identity matrix. Thinking about the women in my life, they have dynamic and fluid identities to be a… DaughterSisterStudentLoverWifePartnerMotherWorkerColleagueAdvocateProfessionalMember and the list goes on and on. Often I have seen these roles as representation of the relationships that we have with family, friends, romance, school, work, church, recreation, and others.

Feminist and black liberation scholar bell hooks states that, “[Women] have resisted continued devaluation by countering the dominant stereotypes about us that prevail in white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy by decolonizing our minds. Here decolonization refers to breaking with the ways our reality is defined and shaped by the dominant culture and asserting our understanding of that reality, of our own experience (pg. 2).” In other words, women have utilized mass media such as this film and pop culture to offer different images of womanhood.

Yet, like this movie and other pop culture, women are typecast in rigid and static definitions of femininity. There’s Ellen DeGeneres, Toni Morrison, Missy Franklin, Jennifer Lopez, Audra McDonald, Meryl Streep, Snookie, Toni Cade Bambara, Angela Merkel, Gabby Douglas, Debbie Allen, Soledad O’Brien, the Teen moms, Whitney Houston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kimora Lee Simmons, Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Cho, Paula Abdul, Beyonce, Sarah Palin, Anika Noni Rose, Diane Ravitch, Lady Gaga, Rachel Roy, Oprah, Taylor Swift, Suze Orman, the Girls Next Door, Maya Angelou, Gwyneth Paltrow, RuPaul, Adele, Jean Phinney, Tina Fey, Sandra Cisneros, Judge Judy, Nicki Minaj, Anna Freud, Alanis Morrisett, Sofia Vergara, Barbara Streisand, Connie Chung, Sally Fields, M.I.A, Paula Deen, Phylicia Rashad, Mia Michaels, Alice Walker, Karrine Steffans, Esperanza Spalding, Susan Lucci, Penelope Cruz, Jane Austen, Madea, Lisa Leslie, Housewives of Orange County, Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, Kristen Stewart, Alice Davis, Miley Cyrus, Diane Ravitch, Emma Stone, Shakira, Rachel Ray, Condoleeza Rice, Betsey Johnson, Nikki Giovanni, Mary Ainsworth, Laila Ali, Drew Gilpin Faust, Lindsay Lohan, Cathie Black, Michelle Rhee, Pamela Anderson, Yoko Ono, Ellen DeGeneres, The View, Billy Jean King, Hilary Clinton, Tyra Banks, Britney Spears, Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, Kathy Lee Gifford, Serena and Venus Williams, Barbara Walters, Marlee Maitlin, Madonna, Heidi Klum, Candis Cayne, Margaret Meade, Halle Berry, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, J.K. Rowling, Whoopi Goldberg, Angelina Jolie, Sonia Sotomayor, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel Maddow, Brittney Griner, bell hooks, etc. Most of these women are known for one talent or accomplishment. The public most often does not see that these and other women have diversified their images (esp. fame and fortune) in other areas to fulfill their work and dreams.

I don’t blame pop culture for using gender roles in marketing or exaggerating roles for entertainment purposes. However, we do need to offer some alternatives for young girls trying to become women, like the character Edina in the movie. I still remember my mother’s words to me, “Congratulations on becoming a woman!” I looked at her as if she had two heads because I had no idea what she was talking about. Yet, she and other women in my life were the best role models. Also, I remember my Dad telling me that I can do anything that I wanted to do. Again, I looked at my parents as if they had four heads. I thought to myself, “Of course, I could do anything!” I had their love and support to help me. This is how we can be more than a name, a symbol, or a role. We can become more than woman.

bell hooks (1993) states, “The white-dominated mass media have changed little in the way in which they represent black women. We have changed. In the last twenty years black women have collectively challenged both the racism and sexism that not only shape how we are seen but determine how everyone interacts with us (pg. 1).”

I love pop music like the next chick, yet it is really disheartening when I hear music lyrics that stereotype women as consolation prizes, employees, sex objects, or wardrobe accessories. As most women I’m not defined by a color, body part, music lyric, advertisement, poem, clothing, or painting. I’m influenced by my gender but I define my roles as a woman. For most of us we don’t dress and act to simply please ourselves but to gain approval from the other women in our lives. They have such strong influence to help us figure out who we are as women.

The movie ends with the professional talking to the young woman about her choices in life that lead to success. Then she embraces the young woman to comfort and reassure her that everything will be alright. As women we have to deal with our own identities as well as help others realize their potential.

Bell hooks (1993) states that, “… [Women] have had the joy of ecstatic sustained bonding with one another. We have witnessed the power of sisterhood. We have experienced self-recovery. We have known, and continue to know, the rewards of struggling together to change society so that we can live in a world that affirms the dignity and presence of black womanhood (pg. 6).” Yes I am a “bad chick” but I am so much more than a name. We must be ever vigilant because the struggle continues. We are more than women.

P.S. Celebrate how YOU are more than a name, a symbol, or a role in your life and the lives of others.

Freedom!… You gotta give for what you take!

“The best things in life are free”
- Janet Jackson

“Freedom! You gotta give for what you take”
- George Michael

So this blog is all about everything free!

If you’re anything like me, you have days where you’re trying to do something and anything for free.

However, freedom is not free. It comes at a cost.

Some examples include: the barriers for women to attend higher education in some cultures/countries, the ban of gay/lesbian couples to marry in most U.S. states, the limitations for disabled individuals to adopt children, the insecure and unsafe measures of deportation for immigrants, the lack of religous tolerance and freedom for public worship of religious traditions, and also the heavy cost of treament and health insurance for poor families.

People often pay for freedom over many years or lifetimes. People often pay in blood, sweat, and tears. A few even pay with their lives. It includes days and nights of adversity, hardship, and grueling work without praise, admiration, and/or rewards. In one way or another, everyone sacrifices for the cost of freedom.

Since we have celebrated the 4th of July U.S. Independence Day and the 2012 London Summer Olympics, I thought I would reflect on freedom and its impact on me as an African American.

Chris Rock tweeted an extreme statement that he viewed the 4th of July as European American’s Independence Day. I strongly disagree due to the civil rights struggles and sacrifices that have enabled me to enjoy civil rights, liberties, and freedoms as an African American. With every abolition speech, stop on the underground railroad, Buffalo soldier, Historically Black College, reformation policy, lynching, bombing/fire, assasination, fire hose blast, police dog attack, arrest/incarceration, raid, broken color barrier, sit-in, march, vote, worker strike, boycott, act of civil disobedience, elected official, court case, and desegregation policy, my freedom was bought and paid for by my ancestors, elders, and their allies.

I’m so proud to be American because of this special tradition… freedom. This is ironic for a Black person to say (trust me I really had to think hard about saying this!). Yet, no where in the world do I have as much freedom as a minority. I’m not saying that I have total freedom as an African American with policies such as racial profiling and inequalities such as racial achievement gaps; but comparatively, I have lots of freedom as a progressive young heterosexual able-bodied single African American women protestant in America than anywhere in the world! Go America!

Then I read a quote from President Barack Obama where he stated, “We need to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world,” he said. “We have to make America the best place on earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit and reform our government. That’s how our people will prosper.”

My answer is we do. We out-freedom everybody.

We need to keep these traditions such as democratic education so that people understand and appreciate the great sacrifices that people have made for our freedom. Democracy is a grandiose ideal in America that has taken many years of reformation to improve. We need to understand that, as Americans, we have always been contradictory and conflicting in our views of freedom and access. Our democractic government ensures that we can pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, for whom?

Early in American history, democracy and freedom did not include various groups such as Blacks, Native Americans, ethnic groups, women, disabled, immigrants, Catholics, Jews, or the poor. These groups did not experience full American citizenship, if at all. However, From the work of diverse minority groups, individuals, and allies, more and more people are able to experience the ideals of freedom and democracy in their everyday lives.

Through democracy, we have the freedom to be creative, critical, and innovative without fear. I could denounce the American flag without worrying about any government repercussions. I can praise Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha, Brahma, money, the moon goddess, Mother Nature, the Sun, etc. and I will not be condemned or ostracized in society.

As a progressive person, it’s a double-edged sword to seek further equality because in America we equate equal rights to infringing on others’ freedoms. However, if everyone can’t experience democracy, then no one can truly be free. Freedom will always come at a cost for someone. In this world, we have enough resources and freedom to share with the world; therefore, we must work towards life, liberty, and happiness for all. In theory, we wouldn’t need social programs, if people had full freedom and resources to provide for themselves. For example, I have told people that I hope my job and research in ethnic minority recruitment would no longer need to exist. Someday, underrepresented minority groups would no longer need to be considered a special population. Then, minorities will be fully integrated in mainstream society and equal opportunities.

As a people, we have to care for freedom and for people. Therefore, I will continue to be assertive for freedom for all. In true American tradition… Give me freedom (liberty) for all or give me death!

P.S. Everyone has degrees of freedom in their lives. So, why and how are you thankful for the freedoms that you enjoy? What can you do to ensure your freedom and the freedom of others?

What’s your calling!?!

An interesting quote from Mike Rose, in his book Why School, can be used as the general overview for this post, “Why school? provides the occasion – within limited space, admittedly – to consider issues together in their lived, human context.” (Rose, 2009). Rose used personal stories to convey his message about schools that is much more than standardized tests and data. He used the vignettes as emotional connections to show a humanistic approach to school. So, as educators, we have to convey our own personal stories to show the transformative power of education.

We’ll start with one question – What does education or your profession mean to you?

I think this is a good question to think about why one wants to work in education. There’s a light switch that comes on which signifies the moment you decided to be an educator. Some call it a calling, a burden, a curse… yet Angelina Jolie has stated on popular media channel E! News that, “Teachers are the real heroes who educate our children and are doing a wonderful job.”

But why be an educator or anything else for that matter? Is it because it’s what I chose to do or something that I fell into?

There are a lot of questions; yet, it’s not about having answers. It’s the reflective and contemplative process, which is almost like a religious experience or calling.

I can remember when I was a little girl in church how people would become overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. People would shout, clap, cry, sing, and wave their hands all in praise and worship. No one ever made them act this way; yet, many would testify about the wonderful things that the Lord made possible in his/her life. They overcame obstacles such as sickness, financial problems, domestic strife, unemployment, abuse, drugs/alcohol addiction, etc. In this reflective state, many would become overwhelmed AND overjoyed.

In a community like the church, each person has a role or duty to others so that the community can function effectively. Someone is the pastor, some are the trustees, some are the stewards, some handle administrative work, some sing in the choir, and we even need someone to keep the church clean.

So I picked the role of educator or did it pick me?

In my family I come from a long line of teachers and preachers. It’s as hereditary as high blood pressure and diabetes. Therefore, was I destined to be an educator? Is it my destiny to ask these questions? Rose explains, “We educate to pass on traditions and knowledge, to prepare the young for democratic life to foster moral and intellectual growth, to enable individual and societal economic prosperity” (Rose, 2009). I feel this has been my training to accept the role of education in my family.

The legacy of higher education in my family goes back three generations. Although we are not well off and working class, my family understood the value of education. A favorite saying in my family is, “They can take your freedom away, but they can’t take away your education.” We couldn’t pass wealth on from parent to child but we could pass education. We understood that freedom is knowledge but, being African American, we are a marginalized group that struggles to attain equal opportunities in education. Education is so important in my own family history, which correlates with my attitudes towards higher education in African American history.

My family has a history of graduates from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, which was founded in 1891. Most of my family members have attended NC A & T for their undergraduate degrees, including my parents. My family like other African Americans participated in the W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington debate over the purpose of education. My family sided with DuBois’ argument that a liberal education will not only free the mind but also the person as well. In essence, it isn’t meaningful to earn a living without enjoying the rights of citizenship and equality. Also, without a liberal education of disciplines such as history, psychology, mathematics, sciences, English, and sociology, knowledge isn’t complete. It’s important to achieve higher education for not only a career but to understand the importance of the self, one’s community, and society. That’s the importance of education. As I reflect on my family and their goals in education, it has always been the key to improving ourselves.

This is my family’s story and legacy. I am third generation of college graduates and one of the few who attended a top 25 predominately white universities. With all of my family behind me, I graduated from the University of Notre Dame. I would be the first to attend Harvard University where I earned my Masters Degree in Education. I will be the second on my mom’s side and the first on my dad’s side to earn their doctorate.

Yet, I will be one of many who have become educators.

I do have many talents that I could have chosen many fields but none make me as impassioned as education. It is the be all and end all. It is the answer to the inequalities in a society; so when money, power, and politics can’t fix it… education will.

Yet why did I choose a profession where as Rose explains politicians and everyone else thinks that he/she can teach or be “teacher for a day”. Educators are sometimes praised but also blamed as the problem in public education.

Education is empowerment to know and understand one’s worth in the world. Anyone can learn to do something. It’s democratic; a right and a duty. This is the reason that we must teach people to fish; so, that they can make a living as opposed to giving them fish so that they live.

Rose states, “Americans have long looked to education as a way to advance themselves. They also see it is as the primary means to overcome social class inequalities; Horace Mann called education ‘the great equalizer’ for those born of humble origins. These powerful beliefs lead us to another cultural tangle. Education is a means to enhance one’s economic prospect.” (Rose, 2009)

Yet, Rose goes on to explain that education alone can’t trump the inequalities in our society such as racism, sexism, classism, etc. There needs to be other public services/programs packaged together in order to completely help families like the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) program. HCZ adopts a a block in Harlem and provides services and programs for the families that live on that block. This is a comprehensive and holistic vision for families with education being a big factor. Rose would agree with the implementing HCZ-like programs and states, “In essence, we need a bountiful vision of human potential, illustrated through the schoolhouse, the workplace, and the community” (Rose, 2009).

Rose does take a liberal stance when he poses questions such as what is the purpose of education especially considering intellectual, civil, and moral development. He writes in a way that is storytelling to drive his points. Is it life or rebirth for some and death or pain for others? Is it reaching your potential by doing your best?

Why be an educator? Why do we educate?

I’m a nontraditional educator with traditional beliefs in education because I believe education is a crucial part of human development. In trying to reach the youth today, we must be honest with ourselves and understand our struggle to work for them, with them, through them. As Rose states, “Young people mystify and frighten us; they’re opaque, alienated, asocial” (Rose, 2009). They are fascinating creatures because they can be anything that we say they are and most will internalize it. These mini-Mes have work ethic, talents, challenges, potential, values, behavior, attitude, and opportunity. They are truly miracles in a vexed and perplexed existence. We’re expected to guide when we may not know all of the answers; yet, we can be used as references to get the right information or go to the right resource.

Again Rose explains the importance of education, “A good education helps us make sense of the world and find our way in it… Reading and writing gave me skills to create with and to act on the world” (Rose, 2009). I fully agree with Rose that the education that I gained from attending school fulfilled my identity and way of life. We have to continue the freedoms of education and not be gatekeepers to privatize education

Rose asks pertinent questions, “How to educate a vast and stratified population? How to bring schooling to all? What to teach and how to teach it? Who will do it? What will the work mean to them?” Most importantly, how do we address the many needs of young people?

In order to solve our big societal problems, the nation will look to education. This the reason why I’m an educator so that I can make the biggest impact. Our education reflects us as a nation.

As educators, most of us enjoy where we are at the present moment. We wouldn’t have dedicated most of our lives to education and sacrificed so much for something that we didn’t love. For most of us, we know that this is where it’s at!

P.S. We all need to reflect on why we were called to our profession in order to go forward in our lives. When were you called?

Education is Caring

Stakeholders and educators who advocate for the common core standards often neglect the needs of students at-risk of dropping out who are, primarily, minority, poor, and urban students. This is a special population that requires unique and varied resources, accordingly. For example, schools can provide safe spaces for learning and explorations on a myriad of topics (Leadbetter and Way, 1996; Selman, 2007). More and more, scholars are finding that schools should take a comprehensive approach to addressing students’ strengths and weaknesses (Canada, 2012; Bangs et al., 2010). This is not a direct expense but it does cost time, resources, personnel, and takes great skill. No matter how many strategies, processes, and/or procedures, without understanding and caring, schools will continue to be ineffective for at-risk students.

In the Douglas Harper dictionary (2010), the word education* is derived from the 15th century Latin word educationem or educare which means to bring up, to rear, to educate. With the common schools of the 19th century, educators asked how to educate a vast population, what to teach, who will do it, and what the work will mean (Tyack, 2007). We still ask these questions today, mainly because we haven’t satisfactorily answered them for ALL students. The way we answer these questions says a lot about who we are—and what we want to become.

The reasons education matters in our society should be a reflection of what we want students to learn. Most educators, business, and legislators want students to develop into responsible and civil adults. Yet, the difference in our own upbringing and education… was that someone cared! It was not the millions of dollars invested in schools; but, a teacher, principal, coach, or secretary cared about how you or I learned. These educators were not micro-managers with little projects to do; but, pushed you or I to learn as much as possible. Most importantly, these educators let you or I learn to use our imagination.

I will pose this question, if education is to develop students, then why is there a lack of conversation among educators about the needs of students and caring in schools?
In his book, Why School, Mike Rose (2009) used personal narratives to illustrate education as caring instead of a checklist of things to know and do. Education is a venture that should include: critical thinking, problem-solving, global awareness, exploration and experimentation, discovery and innovation, interdisciplinary. More importantly, it should delve into issues of life, love, and loss.
How can students be prepared for the 21st Century world if there are not exposed to all of these ways of learning?

Rose (2009) states “There’s not much public discussion of achievement that includes curiosity, reflectiveness, imagination, or a willingness to take a chance, to blunder. Consider how little we hear about intellect, aesthetics, joy, courage, creativity, civility, understanding.” He goes on to say, “If we abstract out of education policy a profile of the American student in our time it would be this: a young person being prepared for the world of work, measured regularly, trained to demonstrate on a particular kind of test a particular kind of knowledge. This is not Jefferson’s citizen-in-the-making. And in my experience most parents of a wide range of backgrounds, though they want their children to develop basic skills and be prepared for work, want much more.”

In these quotes Rose is refusing to accept the current rhetoric of governance and social stability that surrounds the field of education. In his work, he pushes against common reform beliefs and arguments about public schools, showing teachers and students in a more inclusive, positive, and hopeful light. I also want to challenge the notion that it’s simply a link between education and economic mobility. For me, my loved ones, and most of my friends, it’s more than a paycheck. It’s giving back to youth and a community that needs it.

Education is for educators who love and respect students and want to reclaim the developmental and transformational rhetoric around public school, the work of teaching and learning, and—more generally—what counts as intelligence.

It is the current national education agenda that the US is lagging behind in education, due to the failures of public schools (Ravitch, 2011; Rose, 2009). Therefore, the government has intervened with legislation that has mandated actions and measures to raise standardized test scores (Ravitch, 2011; Rose, 2009). One suggestion is that the government could also go one more step and mandate moral education in our schools. Unfortunately, most of the public would argue that the government would overstep its boundaries by legislating policies on caring and moral education in schools. Yet, it is the same public that argues that the educational system is at fault for the lack of moral education among students and not finding the best practices of student achievement.

One insight that I got from Ravitch’s book (2011), The Life and Death of the Great American School System, as a country we have to face that there are NO BEST PRACTICES for each country, each state, each school district. This is especially true because all are not equal. Yet, over and over again, research finds that it is teachers expectations that GREATLY affects student achievement especially among minority students (Delpit, 1995; Ogbu, 1994; Ogbu, 2004).

As I stated earlier, educators must invest in schools as a developmentally protective environment. A place of not only physical but psychological and emotional safety and healing… we need safe spaces for our children. We have begun to understand the challenges facing students when it comes to bullying. However, it shouldn’t take a bullying or shooting incident to be a catalyst for being concerned about the well-being of our students. Students need a place to be understood and a place to connect to others, gain social support, and offer hope in these challenging times. As educators and as the public, we need to start the conversations on caring in our schools so that everyone has the potential to develop into the civil and democratic adults that we can be proud of.

P.S. I urge all of you to put the educare back into education.

* educate. (n.d.). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved June 09, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/educate

College Access as Social Justice

If you haven’t already guessed from my previous posts, I’m a huge proponent for the U.S. public school system. Due to my beliefs, many of my nonprofit activities are aligned with helping public school students in Pittsburgh. However, being a part of a college and community collaborative has its benefits and challenges. We are committed to community outreach but we have not established an objective or goal for educational social justice. For example, we host a college fair every year and invite the Pittsburgh Public high schools. It is a major challenge for high school counselors to register their students for the event, although we may call 3-5 times. Some of my colleagues recommend that we no longer invite schools based on their poor behavior for not registering students on time.

However, I am opposed to this idea for the simple reason that fairness is not social justice. How can we punish underserved students, who extremely need this college exposure, based on their counselor’s behavior? When talking to some of my high school counselor friends, they indicate that they are over-extended in their jobs and have trouble prioritizing their college preparation duties/tasks. So, how can we blame counselors who work hard to help their students access college resources? Another questions is what are we, as a collaborative, doing to reach out to the counselors in order to help their students?

In Pittsburgh and many other cities, there is an inconsistent message of the necessary information, habits, cultural cues, and/or attitude to transition from high school to college. Since there are so many colleges and community college prep programs in the country, there seems to be a decentralized message of college access. For example, colleges/universities will visit high schools, sponsor visits to college campuses, and/or host pre-college events/ programs to inspire students to go to college. Yet, oftentimes they will not interact with a student more than once during their high school career. Likewise, many community organizations visit college campuses, offer internships and scholarships, and invite college representatives to speak at special events in order to expose students to college. Yet, most of these activities are done without a solid college/university partnership and/or expertise. It is almost a hit and miss approach to college access. Our students deserve better.

The national state of college access is in the same predicament. From looking at the push for 21st Century skills, higher education is where recruitment, campus-wide social and cultural events, community outreach, and professional development for staff and faculty can occur to address some of the deeper social issues and personal development of the students. Through college access initiatives, the campus community can come together in order to better understand how to educate the growing numbers of traditional and nontraditional, majority and minority, native and non-native students on college campuses. There are common themes of school reform, democratic education, education as inquiry and exploration, critical thinking, integration, national policy, etc. that has over the years affected our ideas of education and the role of the educator. Therefore, it is our duty of care as educators to provide strategic alliances across intersections of differences. Similarity is in shared actions such as struggles for equality. We have to talk in safe spaces using caring words. This can be done through a school/college’s strategic plan to make colleges/universities, schools, students, parents, and community aware of initiatives and programs for college access as social justice.

Cameron McCarthy (1993) would agree with educators struggling for social justice. McCarthy (1993) states, “Utilize the points of view and experiences of oppressed minorities and working-class women and men as the primary bases for a core curriculum, would constitute a fundamental step in the direction of preparing students for democratic participation in a complex and differential world (pg. 297).” We must continue to struggle to counter the stagnation and reversals by complacent allies or opponents. There is validity in the student’s culture and perspective so it is important to listen and learn in an intimate teacher-student relationship. Then students can learn important skills including college access.

John Rury and other education scholars view education as one of the solutions for solving some of the major societal issues in the U.S (Bowen et al., 2006; Suarez-Orozco, 2007; Tierney and Jun, 2001; Tierney and Hagedorn, 2002; Tierney et al., 2005; Tyack, 2007; Wagner, 2010). They believe that education can remedy social problems because education is complex and interdisciplinary to include social theories and research from academic disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, etc. Also, there have been major developments, setbacks, etc. within the history of education which explain the current status of education in America today (i.e. industrialization, civil rights, etc.). Michael Crow (2012), President of Arizona State University states, “Education and democracy mean the same thing. They are rooted with each other, and our overall success for our country is depending on our success for the institutions that we manage.” Bowen et al. (2006) blatantly states, ”The institutional diversity is essential to achieving and sustaining the scale of the overall educational enterprise (pg. 41).” Therefore, higher education needs to educate more students, especially minorities, for participatory democracy.

William Bowen in his book, Equity and Excellence in the American Higher Education, looks at the tension between excellence and equity as the basis for the argument of educational social justice. Bowen believes that much more needs to be done if the goal of enhanced opportunity is to be served adequately by American higher education. He argues, “American colleges have never seen themselves as serving merely practical or narrowly vocational objectives (pg. 23)” Their purposes are the advancement and dissemination of knowledge, as well as the education of students (Bowen et al., 2006). Ideas are vital components of a country’s resource base. Bowen et al., 2006 further states that, ”Excellence in higher education can be thought of as high achievement in meeting core objectives… To educate large numbers of people to a high standard and simultaneously to advance and disseminate knowledge (pg. 42).” In other words, higher education has to constantly struggle with the issues of quantity and quality.

In the admission process, equity and excellence are debated and compromised when colleges want to attract the most promising students who are highly talented and diverse but limit access to a broad public. Many scholars, lawyers, and judges have discussed the conceptual questions but what about the operational issues in college access and public policy (Bowen et al., 2006). They are often poorly executed programs based on political climate/agenda and resources are scarce so trade-offs are likely options between equity and excellence.

Therefore, there is no succinct system of involvement among stakeholders. Plus there are other communication challenges to link all of these efforts and help transition high school students to college. Therefore, how can we streamline public school college-going culture? Where is the collaboration when so many stakeholders are invested in minority and low-income students gaining access to higher education?

Pedro Noguera states, “We came to the realization that if the educators would not embrace equity, we would have to find ways to force the issue, even if that meant generating conflict. We came to this realization because we understood that ultimately, issues pertaining to equity in education are a form of educational rights and social justice, and not a matter of professional prerogative (pg. 290).” Transformative change is necessary “at the very sites of power’s ideological and material production of us [U.S. minorities] as culturally inferior and socially disempowered subjects (Perez, 1993, pg. 269).” We have to show students that we are trying to be allies and construct a safe place so that students can voice their hopes, fears, struggles, and desires. Also, students need to be able, “to articulate their own cultural values in a critical context (McGee, 1993, pg. 286).” It is our responsibility to promote social justice through giving them an opportunity to learn in a critical/historical context but also have access to greater college and career opportunities such as our college fair.

P.S. Each of us needs to come to terms with our own views of education. Are we proponents of community outreach or social justice?