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Why should we care about the education of privileged white students?
Conversations about education in America focus near-exclusively on underprivileged, majority-minority schools for many important reasons. What Does Injustice Have to Do With Me? , however, argues that such efforts cannot succeed in creating a more just and equitable society without also addressing the students who benefit from America's educational, economic and racial inequities. These young people grow up to wield disproportionate power and influence, yet emerge undereducated and poorly prepared to navigate, let alone shape, our increasingly diverse country.
David Nurenberg weaves together narrative from his twenty years of suburban teaching with relevant research in education and critical race theory to provide practical, hands-on strategies for educators dealing with challenges unique to high-powered suburban, urban and independent schools: affluent myopia, white fragility, the empathy gap, overinvolved parents, overcautious administrators and an "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" mentality.
Despite high test scores and college acceptances, many schools serving affluent white students are indeed broken. Social justice education for privileged white students is not only critical for our society, but also for helping those students themselves emerge from a culture of anxiety and cynicism to find meaning, purpose and self-confidence as activist allies.
List of contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Author's Note
Introduction
Chapter One: Who are "Privileged" Students and How Do We Teach Them?
Chapter Two: Warming Up the Room
Chapter Three: Self and "Other"
Chapter Four: What Does Injustice Have to Do with Me?
Chapter Five: Privileged Victims
Chapter Six: Struggling to "Be the Change"-Allyship, Activism, and the Dangers of the "Savior" Trap
Chapter Seven: "Choosing Between What is Easy and What is Right"
Afterword
Bibliography
About the Author
About the author
David Nurenberg, Ph.D. is an associate professor, educational consultant, and writer in the Boston area who has taught courses at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate level for over 20 years. His writing has appeared in Education Week, The Harvard Educational Review, NCTE's English Education, High School Journal, and elsewhere. He is the host of the podcast Ed Infinitium.
Summary
This book provides educators with strategies for engaging privileged, affluent white students in developing competencies for social justice. The education of such students is not only critical for our society, but also for helping those young people transcend anxiety and cynicism to find meaning and self-confidence as activist allies.
Additional text
Nurenberg reminds us that White, upper middle class students also have a stake in justice and equity in a society, indeed in a world, that reflects increasing economic, social, educational, and political disparity. More important, What Does Injustice Have to Do with Me? speaks directly to the role of our teachers in ensuring the fundamentals of democracy are taught to and understood by ALL students.
