Preparing Educators to Be Champions for Justice
By Sharon P. Robinson, Ed.D., President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
Growing up in Louisville during the civil rights era, with activist parents who believed in the inherent connection between education and equality, I understood early on that a quality education can increase opportunities and improve outcomes for all children. I recall the civil rights hymn, "Woke up this morning with my mind – stayed on freedom," which inspired so many and captured the urgency of addressing the injustice minorities faced in America at that time. Today, educational equity continues to be in the forefront of my mind.
August marked the 50th anniversary of two major milestones in this country's pursuit of justice – the March on Washington, when Martin Luther King, Jr. stirred the soul of the country with his "I Have a Dream" benediction, and James Meredith's graduation from the University of Mississippi as the history-making student who integrated that state's flagship institution. We should all celebrate these victories. For teacher educators in particular, in honoring the memory of these achievements, we will find inspiration to redouble our commitment to our unique social justice imperative – to prepare all future educators to improve the opportunities for all America's children.
Undeniably, the nation has made progress on the equity agenda, but there is still challenging
Growing up in Louisville during the civil rights era, with activist parents who believed in the inherent connection between education and equality, I understood early on that a quality education can increase opportunities and improve outcomes for all children. I recall the civil rights hymn, "Woke up this morning with my mind – stayed on freedom," which inspired so many and captured the urgency of addressing the injustice minorities faced in America at that time. Today, educational equity continues to be in the forefront of my mind.August marked the 50th anniversary of two major milestones in this country's pursuit of justice – the March on Washington, when Martin Luther King, Jr. stirred the soul of the country with his "I Have a Dream" benediction, and James Meredith's graduation from the University of Mississippi as the history-making student who integrated that state's flagship institution. We should all celebrate these victories. For teacher educators in particular, in honoring the memory of these achievements, we will find inspiration to redouble our commitment to our unique social justice imperative – to prepare all future educators to improve the opportunities for all America's children.
Undeniably, the nation has made progress on the equity agenda, but there is still challenging