Social Justice Action Plan for Chicago Schools

Cultural Competency Action Plan

Introduction

Cultural competence is the process of focusing continually on learning about, appreciating, and accepting other cultures so as to be able to incorporate various world views into the problem solving process (Kumagai & Lypson, 2009). One way to do that in the field of education is to bring diverse families into the forum of educational discourse so as to unlock the hidden potential that teachers, parents and community leaders can achieve when they collaborate (Thiers, 2017). This paper examines trends that have increased the need for cultural competence in schools, namely globalization and the call for social justice; it then looks at how these trends have impacted schools. Finally, it provides an action plan for Butler College Prep in Chicago, Illinois, by discussing policies to change, training to be provided for staff and faculty, and a timeframe for initiation.

Trends that Have Increased the Need for Cultural Competence in Schools

Globalization

Globalization is “the process whereby polities, economies, institutions and actors at all levels of society become increasingly connected across national borders” (Robertson, 2015, p. 4). One reason for this interconnectedness is the integration of trade around the world. Another is the growing policy of having open borders, as is the case in the EU; open borders facilitates immigration and the diversification of communities (Burridge, 2010). While the US does not have an open borders policy per se, it does have a porous border. Communities have become more diverse over the decades, which means schools need educators and staff who are culturally competent so that they can respond to the various issues and needs of a diverse student body and community. Schools that fail to account for this diversity and focus only on the majority population, marginalize the rest and fail to consider what James 2:1 states, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”

Increasing Need for Social Justice

There is also an increasing call for social justice, which means that underserved populations should be respected and appreciated more than they are. Social justice necessitates cultural competency because of the fact that disparities exist in education, jobs, living standards, and socioeconomic development (Kumagai & Lypson, 2009). By neglecting these underserved populations, schools do a disservice to them. From the Christian perspective, this is not the way to live. Romans 12:16 tells us, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” In other words, everyone should be treated as equals, as brothers and sisters.

How These Trends Have Impacted Schools

These trends have impacted schools in two ways: on the one hand, they have increased the need for cultural competency among faculty and staff as schools themselves are now more diverse than before; on the other hand, because schools have not addressed these trends to their fullest there is an increasing call for more social justice. Scripture is clear how schools should proceed. 1 Corinthians 14:26 states, “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” This means that schools should be representing their communities inclusively and welcoming everyone into one body, for “there are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning” (1 Cor 14:10). Additionally, “just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor 12:12-30). In short, schools have a duty to respect diversity yet this is easier said than done.

Data distributed by the Illinois Network of Charter Schools shows that Butler College Prep’s student body consists of 96% African Americans, 3% Hispanic, and 1% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or other races (School Performance, 2017). These students also hail from various backgrounds with respect to language, family status, physical and mental status, and socioeconomic status, with 95% of students being of low-income families, 12% of students having disabilities, 20% of the students being listed as homeless, and 2% of students lacking English proficiency skills (School Performance, 2017). Clearly there is a need for the school to address the diversity issues that arise from these demographics. Isaiah 56:1 reminds us that “thus says the Lord: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast’.”

Action Plan to Prepare the School for the Growing Trends

Policies to Add/Change

Butler College Prep currently focuses on social justice issues by emphasizing the need for its students to be agents of change in their own communities. The school states specifically: “We believe that the next social justice leaders walk among these walls. Butler College Prep will teach them how to make their voices heard in the most positive, effective ways. We will help our leaders feel involved in decisions that will have a direct effect on them and their neighbors, teaching the truest definition of community. Community service hours will be required of each Leader, in order to engage their commitment to service of others” (Noble Efforts Change Lives, 2018). This is an excellent policy, as it mandates that students engage in community service. However, this policy could be changed by adding to it a mandate for teachers and staff to engage in community service as well. The reason for such a change/addition would be that teachers and staff represent the school and its principles/values. They should be on the front lines demonstrating to students through their own example what it means to be involved in the community, what it means to be using their voice, what it means to advocate for social justice, and what it means to bring people together. This policy change would also oblige faculty and staff to acquire strong communication and organization skills so that they can communicate the vision of the school and its social justice program to the community.

Teachers should also be tasked with making home visits to better ascertain the cultural context in which every student is situated. Developing cultural competency is not something that happens from reading books only; it also happens by being engaged in the real world and growing one’s experience with other cultures. Students who deal with mental or physical disability, who deal with lack of language proficiency, who deal with impoverishment or homelessness, or who deal with being of a minority group are all students who are going to have a unique cultural context that needs to be understood. Teachers should be mandated by policy to visit the homes and families of their students so that they can build bridges, develop relationships, and cultivate their own sense of how to bring different perspectives into the learning environment and promote them in the community. Matthew 28:19 states, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Because of globalization, communities now consist of people from various “nations” in a sense, and it is up to educators to bring them all together as disciples under the vision of the school, which is to work for social justice. Social justice is being called for around the nation, and if minority groups are ignored, social justice will never prevail. Thus, it is important that teachers be as involved in the communities as students are required to be at Butler Prep.

Training for Faculty and Staff

Miller (2011) states that we must “cultivate a culture of passion, accountability, leadership, and teamwork!” (p. 149). Training for faculty and staff, therefore, should begin by emphasizing the importance of developing passion for families and communities, demonstrating accountability, developing leadership skills, and engaging in teamwork. Passion comes inspiring stakeholders to move toward the vision presented them. Accountability comes from promoting an ethical code of conduct. Most importantly, however, is the need to train faculty and staff in the art of leadership. Leadership styles abound, from authentic leadership to transformational leadership to servant leadership and so on. Every member of the faculty and staff should be trained in the various styles of leadership so that they can draw upon the style that best aligns with their individual strengths and use that understanding to go out into the community to provide service and leadership.

Teamwork is also a skill that has to be taught so that faculty and staff can learn to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate by way of good example what it means to practice social justice and show cultural competency.