Social Reconstructionism Essay

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Those opposing HB 2281 have a very different perspective on schooling and society. These individuals believe in the social reconstructionist approach to schooling. As Schiro describes, social reconstructionists believe that society, as is, is unhealthy (Schiro 6). In other words, those who endorse ethnic studies programs would believe that society in its current state is detrimental, and that schools should be used to address this issue to provoke social change. This desire for social change stems from underwhelming educational attainment by Hispanic students. According to Dr. Augustine Romero, the Director of Student Equity in TUSD, “Approximately 50% of Hispanics drop out of school year after year, and the numbers are not improving, …show more content…

I believe that schooling should enable its students to identify the flaws in society and seek to take action to address these flaws. While I do not believe that society, as is, is terrible, I do acknowledge that there are clear flaws in many social and political systems in this country. Thus, I believe that schools should serve as the educational means for identifying these issues. I believe that society and schooling depend heavily on each other. Schooling should not serve as a mechanism to maintain the current social order – in fact, it should do the opposite. Society should look to schooling to fix its flaws, and schooling should view society as a permanent work in progress. Schooling cannot act as a politically neutral entity, meaning that school should act to advance the political views of its students. Schooling can interrupt social reproduction by being politically explicit and enabling its students to think about these social systems which may oppress certain groups. As Bourdieu …show more content…

If you live on the rich side of town, you’re gonna go to a well-funded school” (Precious Knowledge, 34:10 – 34:25). Supporting this, an article by business reporter Mike Sunnucks reveals that “In Arizona, incomes for the wealthiest grew by 158 percent from 1979 to 2007 compared with a meager 3 percent for the rest of state’s households” (Sunnucks). These issues of income inequality and unequal school funding are affairs that will not be discussed in a social efficiency-based school. In a school that values social reconstructionism, students have the chance to learn about these controversies and learn how to act. Linda Darling-Hammond reveals that “A number of states that have raised and equalized funding as part of systemic reforms have raised student achievement and reduced the opportunity gap” (Darling-Hammond 95). Social reconstructionism enables these types of learning experiences to be possible, as well as facilitates students to explore injustices in the social

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